LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, 

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



Two Spiritual Retreats 

FOR SISTERS. 



BY THE REV. EV. ZOLLNER. 



Translated and Adapted with the Permission of the Author, 



BY REV. AUGUSTINE W1RTH, O.S.B. 



FR. PUSTET, 
Printer to the Holy See and the S. Congregation of Rites. 

FR. PUSTET & CO., 

New York and Cincinnati. 
1889. 



Second Revised Edition. 




Copyright, 1889, 
E. STEINBACK, 
Of the Firm Fr. Pustet & Co. 



CONTENTS. 



FIRST SERIES OF MEDITATIONS. 

ON THE PREROGATIVES OF THE RELIGIOUS STATE AND THE 
RELIGIOUS VOWS. 

FIRST DAY. 

First Meditation : The Prerogatives of the Religious State, . i 



Second Meditation : Three more Prerogatives, 8 

Third Meditation : The Vow of Poverty, 15 

Fourth Meditation : The Virtue of Poverty, 22 



SECOND DAY. 

First Meditation : The Virtue of Poverty, continued, ... 30 

Second Meditation : The Vow of Chastity, 37 

Third Meditation : The Vow of Chastity, continued, .... 44 

Fourth Meditation : The Vow of Obedience, 50 



THIRD DAY. 



First Meditation : The Vow of Obedience, continued, ... 57 

Second Meditation : The Vow of Obedience, continued, . . 64 

Third Meditation : Peace, 71 

Fourth Meditation : Religious must, in a Manner, be Blind, 

Deaf, and Dumb, 77 



ii Contents. 

SECOND SERIES OF MEDITATIONS. 

THE PERFECTION OF RELIGIOUS. 
FIRST DAY. 



First Meditation : On Striving after Perfection, 86 

Second Meditation : The Sister in the Morning, 94 

Third Meditation : The Sister in the Fulfilment of the Duties of 

her State, , 101 



SECOND DAY. 

First Meditation : The Sister's Community-Life, 109 

Second Meditation: The Sister in her Exercises of Mortification 118 
Third Meditation : The Sister in the Fulfilment of her Relig- 
ious Vows, • 125 



THIRD DAY. 

First Meditation : The Sister in her Reception of the Holy 

Sacraments, 135 

Second Meditation : The Sister in her Life of Prayer, . . . 143 
Third Meditation : The Sister in the Evening, 151 



PRE FA C E. 



In presenting to our numerous Catholic Sisterhoods this adaptation 
of Fr. Zollner's "Two Retreats" the translator believes himself to 
have met to some extent a want long unfilled by other publications of 
the kind. — Year after year, religious Communities of women are in- 
creasing in our country, who, by their Rule or Constitution, are obliged 
to practise the exercises of a Spiritual Retreat, at least once a year. 
Now, it is often difficult to secure a priest, secular or regular, to conduct 
these spiritual exercises. Again, the number of Postulants or Novices 
who wish to prepare themselves by a Retreat for the Novitiate or 
Profession, is frequently so small, that a Master of retreat cannot well be 
engaged for them. In either case, a book supplying systematic Medita- 
tions or Considerations, cannot but be welcome to Sisters as a great help 
in making a Retreat without the living voice of the priest. Perhaps, 
such a book is welcome even to the priest himself, who, charged with the 
many exercises of a Retreat, cannot always find time to prepare medita- 
tions suited to the occasion. 

Whilst this little book supplies systematic meditations, it does not 
point out all those other exercises and conditions which are incidental 
to every regular Retreat. That silence and retirement are plainly ne- 
cessary conditions, that special devotions and spiritual readings must sup- 
plement the meditations, and that a good Confession is one of the chief 
ends of a spiritual Retreat — all these things are either well-known, or 
quickly understood by the mere telling. This little volume aims to 
supply only what is most difficult of all in a Retreat. Glancing over the 
meditations, it will be seen, that they convey instructions on all matters 
bearing upon the ordinary course of convent-life. Extraordinary mat- 
ters, or such as might be called ordinary for Contemplatives, are not 
treated of therein. It is the ordinary things that are fundamental. 
Their observance alone will carry the faithful soul to perfection ; their 
neglect alone usually causes Religious to lose ground and squander much 



vi 



Preface. 



precious time. — In presenting these instructions, the author has in not a 
few instances, crowded many points together, which, indeed, rather serve 
to render the instructions complete, than afford only the matter requi- 
site for a meditation. In such cases, the points best suited for medita- 
tion may be marked off, and the remainder be reserved for private read- 
ing. Abundance of mattei can hardly be reckoned a defect in a book 
of this kind, nor will repetitions that occur therein, be deemed censura- 
ble, since forgetfulness in spiritual things sometimes makes repetitions 
necessary. 

The chief wish of the translator, (we may add in conclusion,) is, 
that all who use this little volume, may derive from it great spiritual 
benefit, by advancing some degree in the love of God ; and that, of the 
many Sisters, who in the course of time may take these meditations as 
a guide in their Retreats, one or other may say a prayer for 

The Translator. 

Newark, N. J., March, 1889. 



TWO SPIRITUAL RETREATS FOR SISTERS. 



FIRST SERIES. 

THE PREROGATIVES OF THE RELIGIOUS STATE AND RELIGIOUS VOWS. 



FIRST DAY. 

MEDITATION I. 

THE PREROGATIVES OF THE RELIGIOUS STATE. 

God commanded the Israelites to celebrate, annually, the Passover, in 
grateful remembrance of their deliverance from the slavery of Egypt. 
Their condition in that country was most deplorable ; they were treated 
harshly, had to work laboriously, and received only scanty wages. Nay, 
Pharaoh had ordered all the new-born babes of the Israelites to be 
drowned in the river Nile. The Lord, however, had compassion on 
his people, chastised their oppressors, and, amid many signs and won- 
ders, conducted his chosen ones into the land flowing with milk and 
honey. Hence, as we here see, the Israelites annually celebrated the 
Passover. 

Sisters, God has conferred a far greater grace on you than on the 
children of Israel,-in delivering you from a land of slavery, and conduct- 
ing you into a beautiful, a glorious Canaan. What else is life in 
the world, but a life of servitude, a life of cares and troubles, of labor 
and toil, of sighs and complaints ? Where is there a state of life in the 
world, from the lowest to the highest, that is not subject to sufferings 
and tribulations ? How happy, then, are you in the Religious state! By 
the holy vows which you have made, you are freed from the perplexing 
cares and anxieties with which worldlings are tormented. You are so 
situated as to give yourselves to God without hindrance, being solicitous 
only for the one thing necessary. Moreover, you have abundant means 
for your sanctification, and for attaining your eternal destiny. With jus- 
tice, therefore, St. Mary Magdalen of Pazzi declared, that Religious 
should entertain a high esteem and veneration for their holy state ; 



2 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



since, after Baptism, a vocation to Religion is one of the greatest graces 
which God can bestow. 

In our present Retreat, my dear Sisters, let us make pious meditations 
and considerations on the Religious state, and commence by bringing be- 
fore our mind's eye, first, the prerogatives of 'this state, and then, its three 
vows. St. Bernard enumerated six prerogatives, which the Religious life 
has above life in the world : " The inmates of monasteries^ says he, 
" live more purely, fall more rarely, rise more speedily, are aided more 
abundantly, live more quietly, and die more securely. *' Let us in the 
present meditation, consider the three first prerogatives. 

I. Religious live more purely. 

i. Purity of life consists in performing one's actions for the love of God. 
The more the will of God is the ruling motive, the vital force of our ac- 
tions, and the less influence our own will has upon them, the more pleas- 
ing and meritorious they are in the sight of God. Now, it is clear that 
Religious are better able to please God and gain great treasures and merits 
for heaven than the generality of Christians living in the world. True, 
Christian perfection and salvation are attainable in all lawful states, 
every profession having furnished heaven with Saints. There are many 
people living in the world, who are most solicitous for the salvation of 
their souls, and who serve God with a praiseworthy zeal and fervor. 
Such pray diligently, mortify themselves interiorly and exteriorly, are 
very charitable to their fellow-men, especially to the needy, and are zeal- 
ous in the practice of Christian virtues and good works. But the good 
they do, loses more or less of its value and merit, because their own will 
has a certain share in it. They pray, go to church, to Confession and Com- 
munion, because it is their own desire ; they give alms, renounce certain 
lawful pleasures, because it is their own desire ; they dress plainly, live a 
retired life, read good books, make pious meditations when convenient, 
— in fine, they decide for themselves in whatever they do, and in all 
things, act according to their own will. It is not thus with Religious. 
With them, self-will should not, and dares not, prevail. They have sac- 
rificed their own will to God by the vow of Obedience. Every duty is 
performed not to please self, but as an act of obedience. They renounce 
their own will entirely, and make obedience the sole motive of all their 
actions. In other words, their duties are fulfilled for the glory of God and 
for his love ; for it is to God, that they have vowed obedience. If, there- 
fore, they conscientiously observe the rules of their Order, make their spir- 
itual reading and meditation, instruct children, receive the Sacraments, 
work in the church, in the garden, in the kitchen, or elsewhere, they do 
so because obedience requires it, or, what is tantamount, because God 



First Day. — Meditation I. 



3 



-wills it. Even in indifferent actions, — for instance, when they take the 
repose and nourishment necessary to support nature, when they recreate, 
or walk in the garden, — self-will is not the motive which actuates them, 
but obedience, or the will of God. St. Augustine says : " You praise 
God by the discharge of every duty : you praise him when you eat and 
drink ; you praise him when you rest or sleep." Now, as the will of 
God is, as it were, the soul of all such actions, those who perform them 
have the best opportunity of gaining numberless merits for heaven. 

2. Sisters, here I would have you examine yourselves, and see how 
matters stand with you in this respect. Has obedience, or, what is 
equivalent, the will of God, been always and in all things, the first and 
chief motive of all your actions ? When you prayed, assisted at Mass, 
received the Sacraments, instructed children, or engaged in domestic 
works, did you do all with a view to accomplishing the will of God ? 
Does not your conscience reproach you with having done some things, 
perhaps many, according to your own will, your own pleasure ? Or 
have you not failed in some duties which obedience required of you, 
because they were not in accordance with your own views, or agreeable 
to your inclinations ? Should this be the case, all your works, (though 
they were the best), have lost much of their merit, and you have 
sinned more or less, according to the degree in which you have 
violated the duty of obedience. Examine, also, if, in your actions, you 
have sought applause, or been actuated by vainglory, and thus detract- 
ed from God's glory, from his honor, his holy will, and your own eter- 
nal reward. Were such your case, I would regret it deeply, knowing 
what our Lord said of the Pharisees : "They have received their re- 
ward." {Matt. 6 : 5). Those foolish men did a great deal of good : they 
prayed, fasted, gave alms, and were zealous for the law of Moses ; yet the 
Lord rejected them, because in all their many good works, they sought 
not God's honor and glory, but their own, and the esteem and ap- 
plause of men. You have probably read or heard of a disciple of the 
Abbot Pachomius, who, one day, by great exertions, succeeded in mak- 
ing two baskets, whilst the other hermits made only one. He did this 
to be praised by the Abbot, who, being well aware of the evil intention 
of his disciple, spoke thus at the close of the evening to the assembled 
hermits : " Behold, this brother has from early dawn to late in the 
evening, done less than nothing ; for, by seeking only his own praise, he 
has sacrificed to the devil both his labor and his sweat." Certainly, 
my Sisters, you do not intend to work in the service of the devil ; there- 
fore, beware of doing anything in order to please men, or to be praised 
and honored by them. If your conscience reproaches you on this point, 
humbly ask pardon of God, resolve to amend, and often say with 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



David : " Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to thy name, give glory." (Ps. 
113 : 9). 

II. Religious fall more rarely. 

1. " All that is in the world is the concupiscence of the flesh, and 
the concupiscence of the eyes, and the pride of life." (1. John 2 : 16). 
The Apostle means to say : All that is in the world entices and allures 
man to sin, especially to these three principal sins : pleasure, avarice, 
and vanity. I will first speak of Avarice. How many sins are com- 
mitted in the acquisition of money and goods ! How often justice and 
charity are violated ! Who can number the daily sins of fraud, theft, 
robbery, murder, hatred, envy, and hard-heartedness towards the poor, 
— sins, all of which have their origin and cause in covetousness ! How 
difficult it is, in general, to acquire and possess earthly goods, and at 
the same time, preserve a good conscience ! How speedily man becomes 
the victim of this inordinate love of money and possessions ! Through 
anxiety for the transitory comforts and honors of this life, he neglects 
his Christian duties and the salvation of his soul, or squanders his 
wealth for the gratification of sinful desires and passions, such as pride, 
intemperance, and impurity ! Therefore, Christ himself says : " How 
hardly shall they that have riches, enter the kingdom of God." {Luke 
18: 24). "It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a 
needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven." 
{Matt. 19 : 24). 

Pride prepares for the people of the world, dangers equally as great 
for their salvation. If a man sees himself honored, he easily allows 
pride to arise in his heart ; he exalts himself above others, and, per- 
haps, looks down upon them with contempt. Honors and reputation, of- 
fices and worldly dignities, often cause people to neglect their religious 
duties. They cease to attend Mass on Sundays and holydays, to lis- 
ten to the word of God, to receive the holy Sacraments ; and thus, they 
lose all sense and feeling for eternal and heavenly things, and even their 
faith. What shall 1 say of the immoderate desire for enjoyments, which 
can be so easily gratified in the world ? Theatres, balls, excursions, and 
entertainments which can be enjoyed almost every day, — are they not 
the occasion of a multitude of sins ? Do not young people, especially, 
often lose their innocence and virtue at these enjoyments, and render 
themselves miserable for time and eternity ? And how many scandals 
there are in the world ! All that we see and hear entices to sin ; 
bad, irreligious principles are propagated everywhere : faith, religion, 
and ecclesiastical life are often the topics of raillery and calumny ; in- 
fidelity and irreligion proudly raise their heads ; the greatest crimes and 



First Day. — Meditation I. 



5 



vices are by many no longer regarded as deserving of condemnation,— nay, 
they are even excused and palliated, and people endeavor to persuade 
themselves that they are praiseworthy actions. Ah, how difficult it is 
to live in the world, and not be infected by its corrupting influence ! 
" The atmosphere of the world is noxious and pestilential : whosoever 
breathes it is easily infected with this spiritual contagion. Human re- 
spect, bad example, and evil conversations, are powerful incitements to 
earthly attachments, and to estrangement of the soul from God." (St.. 
Ambrose). 

2, Herein again, Sisters, you behold the advantage you have over secu- 
lars. From how many dangers you are removed by living in retire- 
ment, and how much the more easily you can preserve yourselves from 
sin and vice ! By the three vows which you have made, the three prin- 
cipal sources of sin : pride, covetousness, and lust are, as it were, ex- 
cluded from you. By the vow of Obedience, the desire of vain honor 
is destroyed in its birth ; the vow of Poverty bridles the desire for money 
and possessions ; while by the vow of Chastity, sensual enjoyments and 
excesses meet with an impenetrable barrier. Your Order makes it a 
duty for you to lead a life separated from the world. You are not 
obliged to see and hear the many evils which take place in the world ; you 
are not exposed to the countless scandals that, at every step in the 
world, meet the eyes of Christians ; and for this reason, you have less 
temptations. Religious, properly speaking, have only two enemies of sal- 
vation : the devil and their own innate concupiscence. They need not 
fear the world, that dangerous enemy of the soul ; it cannot harm them, 
because their convent-walls defend them from its assaults. No one 
comes to urge, persuade, or force them to take part in forbidden pleas- 
ures, or to be of the number of a social party ; no one ridicules them 
for dressing plainly, keeping silence, practising prayer, and receiving the 
Sacraments. Even sin is rendered difficult, nay, almost impossible, 
for they are under strict surveillance and discipline ; the rules of the 
Order step in everywhere to prevent them from deviating from the right 
path. Moreover, they have the most powerful means for avoiding sin, 
such as daily meditation, spiritual reading, general and particular exam- 
ination of conscience, the frequent reception of the Sacraments, and the 
annual Retreat. What advantage Religious have over seculars ! How 
much more easily they can protect themselves from sin ! For this rea- 
son, St. Mary Magdalen of Pazzi frequently kissed the walls of her con- 
vent, saying : " O blessed walls ! O blessed walls ! from how many 
dangers do you preserve me !" Hence, also. Blessed Mary Magdalen of 
Orsini, whenever she saw a Religious laugh, used to say : " Yes, dear 
Sister, laugh and rejoice ! You have reason to be merry, being far re- 
moved from the dangers of the world !° 



6 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



With sadness, do I reflect upon the words of St. Alphonsus, which 
primarily refer to us priests. " O my God," 'he says, " how many poor 
peasants and shepherds love Jesus more than we priests !" Are not 
these words, perhaps, applicable to you, Sisters ? I will say only this : 
I know there are some very good laborers who, during the whole 
year, commit very few, even venial, sins. There are young ladies in the 
bloom of youth, whom I know to have preseived their baptismal inno- 
cence ; who in the midst of a vicious and God-forsaken world, live pious 
and unsullied lives. Ah, Sisters, what a reproach to us if seculars serve 
God with greater fervor than we, who are scarcely ever tempted by the 
world, or enticed to sin, and who have so many means for our sanc- 
tification ! Reflect seriously on this, and should you find yourselves 
obliged to say : " Alas ! I have more frequently offended God in the con- 
vent, have been more lukewarm and careless than many seculars !" — or 
if, (which may God forbid !) you know yourselves to be guilty of mor- 
tal sins, ah ! humble yourselves profoundly before God, implore his 
grace and mercy, and promise him a thorough and permanent amend- 
ment. Say : " No, a thousand times, no ! — never shall I allow myself 
to be excelled by seculars in the service of God !" 

III. Religious rise from sin tnore speedily. 

"Wo to him that is alone, for when he falleth, he hath no one to lift 
him up." (Eccles. 4 : 10.) These divine words are only too often applic- 
able to Christians in the world. Since they are weak by nature, prone to 
evil, exteriorly tempted in many ways, and allured and enticed to sin, 
it is really no wonder if they do fall, offend God, and lose his grace. 
Many unfortunate persons resemble the man who fell among robbers, 
and was left lying, half-dead, by the way-side, and whom the Jewish priest 
and Levite passed by without troubling themselves about him — they 
have no one to help them to rise from their fall. No one admonishes 
or corrects them ; no one calls their attention to the danger to which 
they expose their immortal soul ; no one persuades them to give up their 
evil habits ; no one admonishes them to make an humble and contrite 
confession, and by true repentance, reconcile themselves once more to 
God. On the contrary, should they even wish to be converted, they are fre- 
quently deterred by their companions in sin, who endeavor to keep them 
in their evil ways. I really believe that many Christians in the world who 
are deeply sunk in vice, would, like David, do penance for their sins, 
were another Nathan to go and exhort them to repentance, representing 
vividly to them the greatness of their crimes, and the danger to which 
they expose their eternal salvation. But no such prophet appears to give 
them this salutary admonition ; hence, not being converted, they are ex- 



First Day. — Meditation I. 



7 



posed to the imminent danger of final impenitence and an unhappy death. 

O how favored are you, compared to these worldlings ! Should you 
have the misfortune to fall into sin, even into a grievous sin, you pos- 
sess far greater and more efficacious means of rising again, than secu- 
lars. If the fault you have committed be known to your superiors,, 
you are immediately corrected and admonished with serious, as well as 
affectionate words ; for, according to your rule, you must even manifest 
some faults to your superiors, and receive a penance for them. Is not 
this a very efficacious means to amend your faults ? You make a med- 
itation every day. How is it possible to reflect seriously on the eternal 
truths, and persevere in sin ? Spiritual writers say : (i One thing or the 
other must be done ; you must give up either meditation or sin." Then, 
you have your weekly confession. The priest comes to you ; you do not 
have even the trouble of seeking an opportunity to confess, as is often 
the case with seculars. Nay, it is not possible for you to withdraw your- 
selves from confession. Now, is not that weekly confession an almost 
infallible preservative against sin ? That Religious should go so far as to 
conceal mortal sins in confession, and thus, every week, commit two 
sacrileges, can hardly be believed. The good example of one's saintly 
companions is a powerful help towards assisting one to arise from a 
fall, The thought : "Such and such a Sister in our community lives 
so piously, whilst / am so light, so careless, so negligent, and offend God 
in so many ways," — must shame one into greater fervor. 

It is then certain, that Religious rise more speedily from their fall than 
seculars, because their means are more numerous and more efficacious. 
But, Sisters, how have you hitherto employed these means of grace for 
your amendment and perfection ? Ask yourselves : How do matters 
.stand with me ? I am already five, ten, twenty years, may be longer, in 
Religion ; have I thoroughly amended all the faults which I brought with 
me into the convent ? Have I eradicated my inordinate inclinations, 
laid aside my evil habits, and freed myself from my predominant fail- 
ing ? Blessed are you, if you can give an affirmative answer to these 
questions ! You have spent your Religious life well, and God will re- 
ward you for your fervor. If, on the other hand, however, your reply 
be in the negative, it is clear that, henceforth, you must labor with greater 
fervor to correct your faults, and to perfect and sanctify yourselves, for 
thus only will God be to you a merciful Judge. 

These are three of the prerogatives which Religious have above secu- 
lars : They live more purely, fall more rarely, and rise more speedily. 
Give thanks to God, Sisters, for having called you to the Religious state. 
Remember with gratitude those who, by advice or otherwise, have been 
instrumental in leading you to embrace the Religious state, andp- to 
God to reward them temporally and eternally for this act of chai y. 



3 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



Examine yourselves seriously, to know if you have proved worthy of the 
grace of your vocation, and make the firm resolution to correct your 
faults and failings. Henceforth, serve God with fidelity, that you may 
find what you sought for at your entrance into the convent : Peace of 
heart here, and eternal rest hereafter. Amen. 



MEDITATION II. 

THREE MORE PREROGATIVES OF THE RELIGIOUS STATE. 

St. Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury, one day, had a vision in which 
he beheld a highly-swollen, rapid stream, which seemed to contain the 
impurities and filth of the whole earth. In this abominable stream, 
which exhaled a most offensive odor, he beheld a countless multitude of 
men and women, who, being seized by the waves, were carried swiftly 
to their very depths and as quickly cast up again, having no other nourish- 
ment save the watery filth about them, which they seized on with great 
avidity in order to sustain their miserable life. 

Immediately after, he saw another place which, apparently, was a 
splendid, spacious park, surrounded with silver walls. The atmosphere 
was fresh and pleasant ; the most beautiful flowers decked the fertile 
soil, which was shaded from the rays of the scorching sun by a variety 
of trees, some stately, others, bearing the choicest fruits ; in a word, 
everything was as delightful as a terrestrial Paradise. 

The following was then revealed to the holy bishop : The foul and 
rapid stream signifies the world, in which men, blinded by passions, 
are tossed to and fro, by their sensual, impure desires, and, like the 
troubled waters, never find rest and peace. The delightful park signifies 
the Religious state, and the happiness enjoyed by the chosen few on 
whom the great grace of a Religious vocation is bestowed. 

The truth of St. Anselm's vision we have partly realized to-day, in our 
first meditation. We shall now consider three other great advantages of 
the Religious state, viz: " Religious are aided more abundantly, they live 
more quietly, and die more securely. 

i. Religious are aided more abimdantly. 

It is a truth of faith, that God gives to all men, without exception, as 
many graces as are necessary for their salvation. But, as the parable of 



First Day. — Meditation II. 



9 



the talents teaches us, the measure of grace which he imparts to individ- 
uals varies, and is greater or less, according to his divine will. 

1. It is an incontestable fact, that Religious receive more abundant 
graces than seculars. For instance, Prayer is a great grace. In a spirit- 
ual sense, it nourishes us, strengthens us in temptations, makes us happy 
as well as virtuous, and procures us all the aids to eternal salvation. 
Again, spiritual reading and meditation are great graces, for they lead us 
to a true knowledge of ourselves, convince us of the vanity of all earthly 
things, stimulate us to advance in the service of God, and show us how 
to arrive at perfection and sanctification. Another source of grace are 
the holy Sacraments of Penance and the Blessed Eucharist, which purify 
us from sin, cancel its condign punishments, increase sanctifying grace, 
and enable us to persevere therein to the end. Finally, a great grace is 
Solitude. Solitude is one of the most effectual means of extirpating 
evil from the heart, and of advancing the soul in solid virtue. 

Religious receive all these graces as abundantly as they can wish, — yea, 
they are, as it were, pressed upon them. Their rules prescribe exactly 
the time for prayer, meditation, and spiritual reading. No Religious 
can excuse herself by saying that she has not the necessary time for 
these exercises, because the rule forbids every other occupation during 
that time. The same must be said of the holy Sacraments of Penance 
and the Blessed Eucharist. The rule also prescribes at what time, and 
how often, these Sacraments must be received ; and most Religious can 
go to confession and Communion once, and even oftener, every week. 
Are not these very great graces ? Of solitude, I need not speak, for 
all Religious lead a life separated from the world, and though, at times, 
they have dealings with the people of the world, the rule has made pro- 
vision for such occasions so that they may not suffer loss. Consider- 
ing the Religious state in which you live, I may say, that you enjoy in 
it many, yes, a profusion of graces for your salvation. 

2. Let us now take a glance at seculars, and see how few their op- 
portunities of sanctification and salvation are, compared with those of 
Religious. How often, it is difficult for them even to say a short morn- 
ing and evening prayer ! Many of them must rise early in winter, hours 
before daylight, in order to be at their work in time ; and at night, they 
can seldom retire before eleven or twelve o'clock. Many mothers lead 
a harder life than members of the most austere Orders. Can you not 
comply far more easily than they with the duty of devotion and prayer ? 
What shall I say of meditation ? Ah, among a hundred Christians in 
the world, there is not one who can devote himself to this salutary ex- 
ercise! They lack, not only the time, but also the ability, for they have 



IO 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



no instruction as to the method of making meditation ; they know not 
even what it is to meditate. Spiritual reading is also rendered difficult 
to them, and frequently, impossible. Many a mother desires to read a 
spiritual book on Sundays and holydays, but her family duties and 
pressing household responsibilities render it impracticable. A married 
woman goes to confession, and says that she has not received the Sac- 
raments for half a year, or longer. Her confessor asks her : " Why 
not ?" c< O Father, " she replies, " I have tried several times to come 
to confession, but could not get an opportunity ; for, after the early 
Mass, I must hurry home, in order to give the other members of the 
family a chance to come to High Mass. " — Moreover, and this must not 
be overlooked, seculars lack incitement to the performance of religious 
duties. No one admonishes them to pray, to read a spiritual book, to 
go to confession and Communion. Hence it is, that they neglect these 
exercises, even though the time and opportunity were not wanting. 
Solitude and retirement are an impossibility for the majority of seculars ; 
their business, as well as other circumstances, impose upon them the 
necessity of conversing daily with various persons, good, bad, and in- 
different. Many, also, especially the young, wishing to entertain them- 
selves, are only too eager to seek the society of others. 

From this, you perceive, Sisters, how much better off you are than 
Christians in the world, and how grateful you should be to God for 
your vocation to the Religious state. But remember, that where much is 
given, much will be required, and that the severity of the future account 
will be proportioned to the measure of the graces received. " Wo to 
thee, Corozain," said our Lord : " wo to thee, Bethsaida ; for if in Tyre 
and Sidon, the mighty works had been done that have been done in you, 
they would long ago have done penance in sack-cloth and ashes." And 
he added : " I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Si- 
don in the day of judgment, than for you." {Matt, it : 21, 22). Be 
careful, then, lest you become lukewarm and negligent in the employ- 
ment of the graces offered to you. If, on a closer examination, you must 
accuse yourselves of having been superficial, cold, and distracted in the 
performance of the devotional exercises prescribed by your rule, of hav- 
ing made your meditations without fervor, received the holy Sacraments 
more through custom or routine than from a loving desire, of having loved 
solitude but little, and of having frequently and unnecessarily conversed 
with seculars, and curiously inquired about worldly news, you undoubt- 
edly have good reason to ask pardon of God, and to make a firm purpose 
of amendment. Reflect frequently on the following words : / am a 
member of an Order, — consequently., owing to the many graces which are 
given to me, a most severe account awaits me. This reflection, ever re- 
maining with you as a faithful monitor, will never permit the fervor nec- 
essary to salvation to become extinguished in your soul. 



First Day. — Meditation I. 



II. Religious live more quietly. 

i. The goods of this world cannot satisfy the human heart. We are 
created for God ; hence, we can find rest only in God. St. Augustine has 
emphasized this truth : " For thyself, O God, thou hast made us," said 
he, " therefore, our heart will be restless until it finds rest in thee." Small, 
indeed, is the human heart, yet all the goods of the earth are insufficient 
to satisfy it. Though man may possess all that is desirable in life, 
though he be in good health, honored, respected, and wealthy ; and even 
bask, as it were, in the sunshine of the pleasures and joys of this life — 
yet he is not perfectly happy ; a certain void remains in his heart, which 
nothing transitory can fill ; and, as a consequence, hours of disappoint- 
ment and grief embitter his life. Witness King Solomon. He reigned 
forty years in peace, and his kingdom extended from the Euphrates to 
the boundaries of Egypt. He received presents of every description : 
gold and silver vessels, garments and arms, horses and mules. All the 
vessels from which he drank, and all the vessels of his palace, were of 
solid gold. All these goods, Solomon enjoyed to his heart's content. He 
says of himself : I made me great works : 1 built me houses, and 
planted vineyards : I made gardens and orchards, and set them with trees 
of all kinds. And I made me ponds of water to water therewith the wood 
of the young trees : I got me men-servants and maid-servants ; and had 
a great family, and herds of oxen, and great flocks of sheep, above all 
that were before in Jerusalem. I heaped together for myself silver and 
gold, and the wealth of kings and provinces : I made me singing men 
and singing women, and the delights of the sons of men, cups and ves- 
sels to serve to pour out wine. And I surpassed in riches all that were 
before me in Jerusalem : my wisdom also remained with me. And 
whatever my eyes desired, I refused them not : and I withheld not my 
heart from enjoying every pleasure, and delighting itself in the things 
which I had prepared." And he exclaims : " Who shall so feast and 
abound with delights as I ?" And yet, Solomon found no real happiness 
in all that he possessed ; he never was really content. For he contin- 
ues : ''I was weary of my life, when I saw that all things under the sun 
are evil, and all vanity and vexation of spirit." (Eccles. 2). What 
happened to this king, happens to every one who attaches his heart to 
earthly things ; he finds nothing that can perfectly satisfy him. Like a 
butterfly that flutters from flower to flower, from blossom to blossom, he 
seeks peace and rest here and there, but, invariably deceived, is, as a 
natural consequence, continually disquieted. 

The emperor Theodosius once disguised himself, and entered the 
cell of a hermit. After having entertained himself for a while, he said 
.to the recluse : " Father, do you know who I am ? I am the emperor 



12 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



Theodosius. Happy are you, who are content here upon earth, and 
are removed from all the tribulations of the world. I am a great lord, 
I am an emperor, but know, my father, there is not a day on which I 
eat in peace." Thus it is, with people in the world. Nowhere do they 
find or enjoy a lasting peace and rest. 

2. On the contrary, how happy are Religious, who devote themselves 
to God with their whole heart ! They possess a peace, which the world, 
with all its joys and luxuries, cannot bestow. Poverty does not annoy 
them, because they have voluntarily chosen it ; the mortifications which 
they have to undergo are not distasteful to them, because they have en- 
tered the Religious state in order to mortify the flesh with its concupis- 
cence ; obedience is no burden to them, because, in becoming Religious, 
they relinquished their own will, and they well know that obedience en- 
nobles all their works, and leads them to heaven. The humiliations to 
which they are subjected, do not grieve them ; dead to themselves and 
to the world, they say with David : "I have chosen to be an abject in 
the house of my God, rather than to dwell in the tabernacles of sinners." 
(Ps. 83 : n). The secluded life which the rule prescribes, is not monot- 
onous to them ; on the contrary, it affords them great consolation, inas- 
much as it frees them from the dangers and temptations of the world. 
Even various unpleasant occurrences, sufferings and tribulations, are in- 
capable of making them impatient and pusillanimous, for they know that 
if they suffer with Christ, they shall also be glorified with him. Finally, 
they do not find it difficult to be obliged to keep the holy rule, for though 
it be a yoke and a burden, their yoke is sweet and their burden light. 
(Matt. 11 : 30). What a consolation for a Religious tobelongto a state 
in which she can give her heart undividedly to God, and exclaim with St. 
Francis : tc O my God and my All !" O, if mankind only knew the re- 
pose and peace which pious Religious enjoy in their convents, the whole 
world would be changed into one vast monastery ! We need not won- 
der, therefore, that pious Religious experience such interior joy, that they 
would not exchange-their happy state for all the delights and splendors of 
the world. The blessed Seraphim of Ascoli, a Capuchin, used to say 
that he would not give an inch of his cord for all the kingdoms of the 
world. When Arnulph compared the riches and honors of the royal 
court, which he had left, with the consolations he then enjoyed in his 
monastery, he exclaimed : " True is thy promise, O my Jesus, that thou 
wouldest repay him a hundredfold, who leaves all things for thy sake!" 
Although the monks of St. Bernard led a very austere, penitential life, 
God so much consoled them in their solitude, that they feared they would 
be rewarded too richly, even while upon earth, for the little good they did. 

It cannot be denied, that there are dissatisfied, discontented Religious. 



First Day. — Meditation II. 



13 



But who are they ? They are those who have taken their own will with 
them into the convent, and who do not labor to mortify it. In the Re- 
ligious state, there are many things which displease the sensual, unmor- 
tified man. There, one must associate not with angels, but with human 
beings who, consequently, have their faults and imperfections. One must 
undoubtedly overcome herself, in order to live in peace with them. Obe- 
dience, too, demands disagreeable things ; superiors command things 
which are sometimes hard to do, or which are opposed to one's own pri- 
vate views. The rule requires silence, or other mortifications for which 
you have no inclination. Now, if in these and a hundred other things, a 
Religious does not understand how to deny herself, she will find any- 
thing but rest and peace in the convent. On the contrary, she will spend 
many hours and days in ill-humor and discontent. Her dissatisfaction, 
unless she mortifies herself and controls her passions, will increase, and 
finally, she will leave the Order and return into the world, where her sal- 
vation will be exposed to the greatest danger. Sisters, be on your guard, 
and do not permit yourselves to be ruled by self-love, or any other passion. 
Hold firm to the thought : I have entered the convent, not to do what 
pleases me, but to make a sacrifice of my own will. I have entered 
the convent in order to die to myself and to the world, to extirpate all 
my inordinate inclinations, and to live according to the holy rule of my 
Order. 

III. Religious did more securely. 

1. Picture to yourself two persons dying : a queen who dies in a 
splendid palace, in a magnificently-furnished room, attended by a mul- 
titude of servants, surrounded by her husband, princes, princesses, and 
relations ; and a Religious, expiring in her poor, small, simple cell, far 
away from all her relatives, detached from the world, mortified, humble, 
stripped of property and self-will. Which of the two will die easier 
and more contentedly, the rich queen or the poor Sister? Let us an- 
swer these questions by examples from history. Pope Leo XI. said at 
his death : " It would have been better for me to have been the porter 
of a monastery, than Pope !" Pope Honorius III. similarly ex- 
pressed himself on his death-bed : " It would have been better for me 
if I had remained in the kitchen of my monastery, washing dishes !" 
Philip II., king of Spain, called his son to his death-bed, and, casting back 
his royal garment, and showing him his breast, eaten by worms, said 
to him : " Prince, behold here how a king dies, and how all the 
glories of the world have an end !" Then, he cried out : " O, that I 
had been an humble lay-brother in a monastery, and not a monarch ! " 
Philip III., son of Philip II., who died at the age of forty-three years, 



14 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters 



said : " My subjects, at my funeral, speak of nothing else than this 
spectacle which you behold ; say that it profits nothing in death to 
have been a king, except to suffer greater pain !" And then, he ex- 
claimed : "O, that I had not been a king, and had served God in sol- 
itude, for now, I could appear with greater confidence before the judg- 
ment-seat of God, and would not be in such great danger of being 
damned !" This is the way Christians in the world die, although they 
have not lived in sin, or in forgetfulness of God. 

Father Suarez of the Society of Jesus was filled with such spiritual 
joy when dying, that he exclaimed : " I did not imagine that death could 
be so sweet and so full of consolation !" St. Francis of Assisium sang 
on his death-bed, and invited those present to sing. '' But, Father," 
said brother Elias, " we cannot sing, but must weep when one dies. " 
" I cannot help singing," replied the saint, " because, in a short 
time, I will be united with my God !" A young nun of the Order 
of St. Teresa said to the nuns who stood weeping around her bed : 
"O Sisters, why do you weep? I only go to visit Jesus : rejoice 
with me, if you love me !" 

2. But why do Religious die so quietly, so peacefully, so cheerfully, so 
willingly ? 

(a) Because they have no worldly ties to make death hard to them. 
How often does a father or a mother die a hard death, because of their 
children left unprovided for ! How frequently do people in comfort- 
able circumstances, as well as the wealthy, find it hard to die, hard to 
leave house and home, the riches, pleasures, and vanities of life 
to which their hearts are attached ! How terrible is death to the ma- 
jority of those who stand on the pinnacle of human greatness, because its 
unrelenting hand snatches from them office, honors, and dignities ! Such 
is not the case with Religious. They are already bereft of all to which 
the human heart is likely to cleave ; they aie separated from the world 
and its vanities ; hence, at the approach of death, they have nothing 
to leave, and die as quietly as an innocent child, that knows no fear of 
death. They drop from the tree of life, like fruit that is fully ripe. 

(d) Because they have to fear either no purgatory at all, or only a short 
one. St. Thomas of Aquino teaches, that on the day a Religious makes 
his solemn profession, the guilt and punishment of all the sins committed 
by him in the world, are remitted. This grace is the reward of the per- 
fect self-sacrifice made at one's entrance into an Order. The small 
faults and imperfections which pious Religious commit, are expiated 
during their life by means of good works, frequent prayer, holy Com- 



First Day. — Meditation III. 



i5 



munion, and the mortifications which they daily practise. But if, 
nevertheless, a Religious should not cancel in this life all the temporal 
punishments due to sin, very little will remain to be atoned for in pur- 
gatory. The many Masses which are offered for her after her death, 
the prayers of the whole community and Order, the many indulgences 
applied to her, will soon free her from her sufferings. 

(c) Because in heaven, a greater recompense awaits them. Our blessed 
Lord has promised that he who forsakes all things for his name's sake, shall 
receive a hundred-fold, and shall possess life everlasting. {Matt. 19 : 29). 
Since Religious leave all things near and dear to them, there is no doubt 
but that they will receive a great reward in heaven. Again, if, accord- 
ing to the words of Christ, a drink of cold water which is given to the 
thirsty in his name, shall not go unrewarded, {Mark 9 : 40), how could 
God leave unrequited so many good works, so many exercises of Christian 
charity, so many interior and exterior mortifications, so many prayers 
and meditations which pious Religious perform ? Moreover, as already 
remarked, the good works of Religious are more meritorious than those 
of seculars, because they are performed in holy obedience, and, gener- 
allv speaking, with a purer intention. 

Recognize then, Sisters, what a great grace God has conferred on you 
by calling you to the Religious state ! What can be more desirable to 
you than the multitude of graces and means of salvation which you pos- 
sess for your perfection and sanctification ? What more desirable to 
you than to spend the days of your life quietly and peacefully, and to 
be free from the numberless perplexities, cares, troubles, and sufferings 
which press so heavily upon the shoulders of seculars ? What more de- 
sirable, than to die easily and securely, either escaping purgatory alto- 
gether, or going there only for a short time, and receiving at last, an ex- 
ceedingly great reward in heaven ? Rejoice, therefore, that you have 
been selected among thousands for theReligiousstate. Daily give thanks 
to God for this grace, and so live, that you may, one day, become partak- 
ers of the glorious promises made to pious Religious. Amen. 



MEDITATION III. 

THE VOW OF POVERTY. 

One day, a certain young man came to our divine Saviour, and said : 
Ki Good master, what good shall I do, that I may have life everlasting ?" 
And Christ said to him : " If thou wilt enter into life, keep the com- 
mandments." Upon the further question, which commandments he 



i6 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



was to keep, our Lord mentioned a few of the Ten Commandments. 
The young man said, that he had kept all these commandments from 
his youth, but added : "What is yet wanting to me ?" Jesus said to 
him : "If thou wilt be perfect, go, sell what thou hast, and give it to 
the poor ; and thou shalt have a treasure in heaven ; and come, follow 
me." When the young man had heard these words, he went away sor- 
rowful, for his possessions were great, and to give them all away, he 
thought, was asking too much of him. He could not resolve to do this. 
{Matt. 19 : 16. et seq.) 

In this young man, we see what a great hindrance riches are to vir- 
tue and perfection. It is very hard for people to give up their money 
and goods ; and only too frequently, they become to them a source of num- 
berless sins, and finally, of eternal perdition. Therefore, the Apostle 
says : " They who would become rich, fall into temptation, and into 
the snare of the devil, and into many unprofitable and hurtful desires, 
which drown men in destruction and perdition." (1. Tim. 6 : 9.) 

Sisters, you are called to Christian perfection, for the Religious state 
is a state of perfection. But, because temporal goods are in many 
ways impediments to Christian virtue and perfection, and lead to in- 
numerable sins, you have renounced them forever, and made the vow 
of Poverty. Poverty is, in a true sense, the foundation of evangelical 
perfection. It is man's champion and protector in the struggle 
against the enemies of his salvation. It renders easy the practice of 
Christian virtues. Let us now make a meditation on the vow of Pov- 
erty, and ask ourselves the two following questions : 

I. To what does this vow oblige us ? 

II. How does it oblige us ? 

I , To what does the vow of Poverty oblige us ? 

She who makes the vow of Poverty gives up all that she possesses ; for 
she solemnly declares before God and man, that for the remainder of 
her life, she renounces everything, together with the privilege of hence- 
forth disposing of things according to her will. Therefore, strictly 
speaking, a Religious can no longer say : " This belongs to me ; this 
is mine." The money that passes through her hands, the garments she 
wears, the food she eats, the book she reads, all that she uses and has, 
is not her property, but the property of the house, of the Order, to which 
she belongs. She has the use or the benefit of things in so far as the rule 
or the superior permits. In order to explain to you this important vow 
according to its whole extent, I shall speak of it at greater length. 



First Day. — Meditation III. 



i7 



1. The vow of Poverty forbids Religious, without the permission of 
the superiors, 

{a) To keep anything, e. g,, a garment, a book, or any money. If, 
therefore, a Religious would, without the permission of her superior, 
keep anything for herself, be it little or much, she would sin against 
the vow of Poverty. — In the chronicles of the Capuchins, we read that 
a brother who knew how to read a little and was desirous of learning 
more, found means to procure for himself a Psalter. But, as the rule 
of St. P'rancis forbids all lay-brothers to learn to read, the superior, 
hearing that the brother was in possession of this book, demanded it of 
him. He answered, that he no longer had it. Being pressed to tell 
where he put it, and being informed, that to live in possession of any- 
thing, was to live in a continual breach of the vow of Poverty, he still 
would not obey. Not long after this, he became dangerously sick, and 
the superior, for fear he should die in that state, commanded him in 
virtue of holy obedience, to restore the book, or to tell him where he 
had hid it ; but, hardened in sin as he was, the unhappy man died without 
declaring anything. The night after he was buried, when the sacristan 
rang the bell for Matins, he saw a frightful ghost coming toward him, 
and hearing a melancholy, mournful voice, without being able to un- 
derstand anything distinctly, he was seized with such fear, that he fell 
down as if dead. The Religious, having heard the first peal to Matins, 
wondered why the bell did not ring again, and having waited a little, 
they went to the church, and found the sacristan lying upon the floor 
as though dead, who, coming to himself, related what had happened. 
After they had begun to sing Matins, the same ghost appeared again, 
crying and howling in the most frightful manner, but without uttering 
a word distinctly enough to be understood. The superior commanded 
the spirit in the name of God, to tell who he was, and what he wanted 
there. To whom, he replied, " I am the lay-brother whom you buried 
yesterday." Then, the superior asked him, if he stood in need of the 
prayers of the community, to which he answered, no, for they could do 
him no good, as he was eternally damned on account of the book which 
he had kept in his possession up to the hour of his death. "Since, 
therefore, " replied the superior, " we cannot do you any service, I 
command you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to depart hence 
immediately, and to return no more to disturb us !" These words were 
no sooner uttered, than the ghost disappeared, and was never after seen. 
— Religious who have made the vow of Poverty must be careful not to 
retain anything without the permission of their superior ; they must 
also be ready at all times to obey their superiors, if they should require 
them to give up any article in their possession. 



iS 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



(b) The vow of Poverty forbids giving anything away, or making presents. 
Servants are not allowed to give alms, or to make presents from the sub- 
stance of their masters. The same is to be said of a Religious ; having 
no property of her own, she cannot dispose at pleasure of things which 
belong to the house ; and if she does, she steals, for theft consists in 
taking away what belongs to another without his consent. Hence, it 
follows also, that the person to whom a Religious gives anything without 
permission, though as an alms, has no right to it, nor is she the true 
owner, but is b^und to restore it. Only in the reasonable presumption 
that her superiors have no objection, may a Sister give alms. A Re- 
ligious, however, should not readily make presents, for to do so may not 
only be against the vow of Poverty, but may also lead to various disor- 
ders, and be injurious to discipline. There is a great difference between 
the dominion over, and the use of, a thing. He who has dominion over 
a thing, can give, lend, sell, or dispose of it at pleasure ; whereas, he 
who is not master of it, but has only the use of it, cannot do as he 
pleases ; he can neither give it away nor sell it, nor make any other use of 
it than that for which it was placed in his hands. — If you invite a per- 
son- to dine with you, does the invitation make him master of what is 
set upon the table ? He cannot carry anything away with him, send it 
to his friends, sell or dispose of it at his pleasure, for you only grant him 
the privilege of eating what is set before him. Hence, a distinction is 
made between the use of, and the dominion over, things which are con- 
sumed by using them, though they be consumed the very first time they 
are used. The same is to be remarked of things which Religious hold 
by the permission of their superiors. They have only the simple use of 
them, for they are given them for this end only , and they cannot dispose 
of them at pleasure, because they are not masters of them. 

(c) It also forbids taking anything, such as eatables, books, garments, etc. 
This is self-evident. If it is true, that Religious cannot dispose of what 
the superior permits them, to make use of, it is clearly evident that they 
cannot dispose of what belongs to the house, without permission from 
the superior ; and consequently, they cannot take a book out of the library, 
or anything out of the wardrobe, refectory, or any other place, without 
acting in direct opposition to the vow of Poverty. It is related that, 
whilst the holy man Regnadus was Prior of the Dominican convent at Bo- 
logna, a lay-brother of the same house received from a person in the 
world, without the permission of his superior, a piece of cloth to mend 
his habit. The Prior, hearing that he had received it, called the brother 
to the chapter-house, where he gave him a severe reprimand, as if he had 
been a thief, imposed upon him a severe punishment, and burned the 
piece of cloth before him, and in the presence of all the Religious. 



First Day. — Meditation III. 



19 



(a) It forbids Religious receiving presents and keeping them for them- 
selves. This, again, is self-evident, for Religious, by the vow of Poverty, 
give up all dominion, and renounce forever all the rights of proprietor- 
ship, and therefore, cannot acquire any property for themselves. All 
that they receive by bequest or donation belongs to the community, and 
they would sin ag-iinst the vow of Poverty, if they wuulJ keep or dispose of 
it, without permission of their superior. Having entered into Religion 
and made the vow of Poverty, it is not in their power to receive or 
keep anything without permission ; this, being an obligation arising 
from the vow they have made. If they had not entered into religion 
and there vowed Poverty, but continued in the world, masters of their 
property, they might have acquired possessions and disposed of them 
at pleasure. 

2. The vow of Poverty forbids Religious claiming or considering as 
their own what they earn. Some Religious occupy positions with 
which a salary is connected, and they are paid for their services. Some 
devote themselves to literature, from which they receive an income, and 
others earn money in divers ways. Now, what a Religious earns is not 
her property, but the property of the community ; she can claim her 
earnings, only in so far as the rule or the superior permits. The reason 
again is, because, on account of the vow of poverty, Religious are abso- 
lutely incapable of possessing anything as their own, or of disposing of 
it at pleasure. 

3. In consequence of their vow, Religious cannot retain for them- 
selves what they save. If a servant or a laborer save anything of what 
is set before him at his meals, he can dispose of it as he pleases, because 
it has become his property. But this is not the case with Religious. 
Be they ever so saving in food and clothing, what they save does not 
belong to them, but to the house, because they can acquire and possess 
nothing whatsoever. St. Jerome relates that, among the hermits who 
lived in the desert of Nitria and maintained themselves by the work of 
their hands, there was a certain linen-weaver who, by hard labor and 
extreme penuriousness amassed by degrees a sum of seven hundred 
crowns, which he carefully concealed. He died in possession of this 
money ; and when his companions came to bury him, they found the 
money in his cell. Whereupon all the other hermits, about five thou- 
sand in number, assembled to consult what was to be done in the mat- 
ter, md how they should dispose of the money. Some were for giving 
it to the poor, others to the church, and others to the needy relations 
of the deceased. But the great Macarius, and with him, some of the oldest 
among them, counseled them to bury the money with the corpse and to 



20 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



pronounce over it these words of St. Peter : " May thy money perish with 
thee r (Ads 8 : 20). And St. Jerome adds, that this sentence was not 
uttered in severity or cruelty, but in prudence and charity ; for it struck so 
great a fear into the hearts of all the hermits of the desert, that they 
looked upon it as a great crime to have any money found about them at 
the hour of death. 

4. The vow of Poverty obliges Religious to be careful of all that is 
given to them for their use, that nothing be lost through culpable negligence. 
He who deliberately wastes or spoils what is committed to his care, or 
what is given him to make use of, sins against the vow of Poverty, for it 
belongs only to the master of the goods to waste and consume them nt 
pleasure. Cassian relates that the abbot of a monastery, perceiving that 
the cook, in washing the peas he was about to boil for dinner, let three 
fall upon the ground, gave him a public penance for the little care 
he took of what belonged to the community. But it is well to remark that 
no one must be too scrupulous. If you use ordinary diligence in the 
preservation of the things committed to your care, you commit no sin, 
if, by accident, they should be spoiled or lost. You only sin if, by care- 
lessness and negligence, you lose or spoil the things committed to your 
care. 

Having explained to you what the vow of Poverty comprises and to 
what it obliges us, we will now consider, 

II. How the vow of Poverty obliges us. 

Religious have only the simple use of what is allowed them by 
their superior ; if, therefore, they dispose of a thing without permission, 
they commit a theft, and, indeed, a sacrilegious theft, against the vow of 
Poverty. In regard to the vow of Poverty, we may say, what the Seventh 
Commandment says : " Thou shall not steal " 

1. The Seventh Commandment forbids every unjust appropriation of 
another 9 s goods against his will. Hence, he who takes a thing belong- 
ing to another, be it more or less valuable, secretly, and against the justifi- 
able will of the owner, commits a theft, and violates the Seventh Com- 
mandment. In like manner, the vow of Poverty forbids Religious to 
appropriate anything, however insignificant, to themselves, without the 
will and knowledge of their superior. If they do this, they violate their 
vow, and commit a sin. In case they should take something which they 
absolutely need, when it would be impossible for them to obtain per- 
mission of the superior, only then, would they be excused from sin, for 
in that case, the permission of the superior may be presumed.. 



First Day. — Meditation III. 



2 r 



2. The Seventh Commandment prohibits every theft, be it considerable or- 
inconsiderable. He who steals to the value of a cent transgresses this com- 
mandment, and sins. Christ emphatically declares that one shall not 
go out of prison, until he pay the very last mite. {Luke 18 : 59). 
The same is true of the vow of Poverty ; this, too, forbids Religious to 
take much or little. Therefore, if they appropriate; to themselves in- 
significant things, such as a picture, a pen, or a sheet of paper, without 
the permission of the superior, they violate their vow and commit a 
sin, You must, therefore, be cautious and conscientious in this mat- 
ter, and not appropriate to yourselves even small things, when you know 
that you have not your superior's consent to do so. 

3. By the violation of the Seventh Commandment, one can commit 
mortal or venial sins, according as the theft or injustice committed 
against another man's goods is considerable or inconsiderable. All divines 
agree, that a theft is considerable if it amounts to as much as four or six 
dollars, for such an amount is considerable even to a man in easy cir- 
cumstances. The divines also say, that it is a considerable matter, and 
consequently a mortal sin, if one takes from another what he needs for 
his daily sustenance. Therefore, if one has but a half-dollar for his 
daily support, and you steal that amount from him, you commit a mor- 
tal sin. The reason is, because every man looks upon that -amount as 
considerable which is requisite for his daily support. If the theft 
amounts to a few cents only, it is but a venial sin, as far as the matter 
is concerned. There can be no doubt, that if any one takes from a la- 
borer an amount for which he has to toil hard from morning till night, 
he commits a mortal sin. 

What has been said is applicable to the vow of Poverty. The viola- 
tion of the vow of Poverty may be a mortal or venial sin, according as 
the value of a thing which a Religious unjustly appropriates to herself 
is considerable or inconsiderable. It must not be overlooked, that Re- 
ligious who take things without the permission of their superiors, sin 
more grievously than seculars who commit a theft, because these sin 
only against the commandment, whereas Religious violate not only the 
Seventh Commandment, but also the vow of Poverty, their responsibil- 
ity being thus far greater before God. 

Never forget that, one day, before the judgment-seat of God, you must 
give a rigorous account of your vow of Poverty. Be faithful to your 
promise. St. Mary Magdalen of Pazzi, in a vision, saw many Religious 
who were damned because they did not keep their vow of Poverty. If 
you should desire to possess this or that, which you cannot do without 
sin, immediately think of your vow, and say to yourselves : No, I do not 
want what I cannot have without a perfectly good conscience ! If, here- 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



tofore, you should have sinned against this vow in any respect, repent 
of it from the bottom of your heart, ask pardon of God, and promise 
him sincere and earnest amendment. Think of your Saviour who, for 
the love of you, became so poor that he could truly say : " The foxes 
have holes, and the birds of the air nests : bitt the Son of man hath not 
where to lay his head." {Matt. 8 : 20). Love and cherish poverty, 
that in you, may be verified the words of Christ : " Blessed are the poor 
in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 5 : 5). 



MEDITATION IV. 

THE VIRTUE OF POVERTY. 

We read in the Acts of the Apostles, {ch. 4 and 5) that the early 
Christians had but one heart and soul : neither did any of them say, 
that, of the things which they possessed, anything was his own, but all 
things were theirs in common. Neither were there any among them 
that wanted ; for, as many as were owners of lands or houses, sold them, 
and brought the price of the things they sold, and laid it down before 
the feet of the Apostles. Distribution was then made to every man ac- 
cording as he had need. " But a certain man, named Ananias, with 
Saphira, his wife, sold a field, and by fraud kept part of the price of the 
field, his wife being conscious of it ; and bringing a certain part of it, 
laid it at the feet of the apostles. But Peter said : Ananias, why hath 
Satan tempted thy heart, that thou shouldst lie to the Holy Ghost, and 
by fraud keep part of the price of the field ? Whilst it remained, did it 
not remain to thee ? And being sold, was it not in thy power ? Why 
hast thou conceived this thing in thy heart ? Thou hast not lied to men, 
but to God. And Ananias, hearing these words, fell down, and gave up 
the ghost. And great fear came upon all that heard it. And the young 
men rising up, removed him, and carrying him out, buried him. And 
it came to pass, about the space of three hours after, his wife also, not 
knowing what had happened, came in. And Peter said to her : Tell 
me, woman, whether you sold the field for so much ? And she said : 
Yea, for so much. And Peter said unto her : Why have you agreed to- 
gether to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who 
have buried thy husband, are at the door ; and they shall carry thee 
out. Immediately she fell down before his feet, and gave up the ghost. 
And the young men, coming in, found her dead, and carried her out, 



First Day. — Meditation IV. 



and buried her by her husband. And there came great fear upon the 
whole Church, and upon all that heard these things." (Acts 5 : 1-12). 

This, Sisters, is the sin of monks and nuns, who, after having made 
the vow of Poverty, retain temporal goods for themselves without the per- 
mission of their superiors. If God does not punish them upon earth, 
as he did Ananias and Saphira, they shall not escape punishment in the 
other world, either in hell, or in purgatory, according as they have violated 
their vow grievously or lightly. Before making the vow of Poverty, 
they could possess thousands and millions of dollars, and be saved, but 
after having made the vow, they cannot regard a single cent as their own. 
They must relinquish all temporal goods, in order to be able to say with 
the Apostles : " Behold, we have left all things, and have followed thee." 
(Matt. 19 : 27). Remember, Sisters, it is not enough for you to have 
left all things, and to possess no property ; this is merely the material 
vow of Poverty ; if you desire to be good Religious, you must also be 
poor in spirit, for Christ does not declare all the-poor blessed, but only 
such as are poor in spirit. {Matt. 5 : 3.) Of this virtue of Poverty I 
shall now speak. I shall show you, 

I. Wherein the virtue of Poverty consists j 

II. What degrees it has. 

I. In what does the virtue of Poverty consist ? 

The love, or desire for temporal goods hinders the soul from elevat- 
ing itself to God. Poverty, on the contrary, enables the soul to soar 
quickly to heaven. It is not enough for Religious to strip themselves of 
all things, they must not allow any love, or desire for earthly goods to 
have place in their heart. They must share the sentiment of the Apostle, 
who says of himself, that he suffered the loss of all things, and counted 
' them but as dung, that he might gain Christ. (Phil. 3 : 8.) Herein, 
therefore, consists the virtue of Religious Poverty. 

1. That they have no desire for temporal goods. There are many peo- 
ple in the world who are really poor, and often suffer the greatest need, 
but have such the virtue of Poverty ? Far from it ; they are . thoroughly 
discontented with their condition ; they murmur against God for hav- 
ing made them poor ; they ardently long for money and worldly pos- 
sessions, and envy those who are rich and prosperous. Such people have 
only the hardships, but not the virtue of Poverty. They are doubly 
unhappy ; in this world, because they have to endure all the hardships 
that poverty brings in its train, and in the next, because in their poverty, 
they sin in various ways, and can, therefore, expect no reward, but pun- 



2 4 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



ishment from the divine Judge. Religious, too, should consider 
this well, and nourish no inordinate desire for temporal goods. St- Teresa 
says, that nuns who appear outwardly poor, but are not poor in spirit, 
deceive the world and themselves. And St. Philip Neri speaks words 
well worthy of consideration : " He who craves temporal goods, shall 
not be saved." Hence, we see, that all zealous Religious, who were 
solicitous for salvation, had not the least attachment to anything earthly. 
They were poor not only externally, but also in spirit. — I shall adduce 
only a few examples. St. Hilarion had cast out a legion of devils from 
a certain man named Orion. When this man, through gratitude, offered 
him a large sum of money, he replied : " Do you desire the evil spirits 
to enter into me ? Do you not know that Giezi was struck with lep- 
rosy on account of the money he accepted from Naaroan ?" When the 
last will and testament of the brother of St. Arsenius was opened, and 
the Saint found that he had inherited his brother's possessions, he rent 
his garments, and said : " I died before my brother ; nothing of all that 
he has left, belongs tome." St. Aphraates, the son of a renowned family 
in Persia, who left his native country in order to live as a hermit in Syria, 
near Antioch, wore a habit of very coarse cloth, which he never laid off 
till it was insufficient to cover his body. Moved by the poverty of his 
garment, the governor Anthemius, who had been sent as ambassador to 
Persia, on his return, brought him an overcoat, and importuned him to 
accept and wear it. " It is from your native land," he said. Aphraates 
replied : " Do you think it reasonable to dismiss an old servant whose 
fidelity is tried, and to receive a new one, simply because the latter is a 
countryman?" " No," replied Anthemius. " Well, then," said the saint, 
" take back the garment : I have one which has served me these many 
years, and I do not wish to have two at the same time." 

Thus, all holy Religious regarded earthly things as nothing ; they de- 
sired only God, to whom they gave themselves with an undivided love. 
Such should be your disposition. True, God-pleasing Poverty requires, 
that you entirely disengage your heart from all earthly things, so that 
you may be able to say with the Psalmist : "What have I in heaven ? 
and besides thee, what do I desire on earth ? My flesh and my heart 
hath fainted away ; thou art the God of my heart and the God that is 
my portion for ever." {Ps. 72 : 25, 26). 

2. The virtue of Poverty requires, that Religious be attached neither to 
valuable things not insignificant ones. A bird secured by even a slender cord 
cannot soar up into the air. In like manner, a soul possessing, contrary 
to Poverty, even the most trifling and insignificant thing, cannot be per- 
fectly united to God, nor enjoy true peace. It is not enough for Religious 
to have renounced great treasures and goods, they must not desire even 



First Day. — Meditation IV. 



2 5 



small and insignificant things. Hence, should a Religious, after having 
generously abandoned all his worldly possessions, set his affections upon 
trifles, such as a nice cell, a good habit, choice books, or the like, he 
would no longer be poor in spirit. Since poverty in spirit consists in an 
entire disengagement of our affections from all things worldly, such a per- 
son would merely have changed the affection he had for temporal goods 
in the world, to affection for temporal goods in Religion. In short, he 
would have forsaken great things, in order to cleave miserably to little 
ones. "I am at a loss," says Cassian, " when I would speak of that 
childish weakness of some Religious, who, after they have bid adieu to 
what they had in the world, fall in love with trifles in Religion, and seek 
their little conveniences with the greatest care and solicitude ; so that 
their inclinations are sometimes more violently bent upon these trifles, 
than they were before upon the riches they had in the world. What 
does it signify to these men to have left great possessions, if they have 
not also relinquished all irregular desires for them ? By retaining a de- 
sire and an inclination for little things, since they cannot aim higher at 
present, they discover too clearly, that they have not quite destroyed 
their former passions, but only changed their objects. Their care and 
anxiety are still the same, yet they make little or no account thereof, as 
if different objects, and not disorderly passions, made avarice a crime. 
They are of the opinion, that we may relinquish great things to fix our 
affections upon lesser ones, and that it may be done for this reason ; but 
they greatly deceive themselves, for we renounce great things, in order to 
despise lesser ones with greater ease." Again, he says : " What a calamity 
it is to see a Religious not become a saint, after having left all things and 
renounced pleasure and liberty, because he retains an attachment to things 
which are looked upon by the world even as mean and contemptible !" 
" And really there are Religious," continues the same spiritual writer, 
;< who, having despised great things, afterwards lose their peace of mind 
on account of a needle or a pin, and for the sake of such trifles expose 
themselves to the danger of being eternally lost. Such Religious resem- 
ble a traveler, who, after having made a voyage around the world, es- 
caped the dangers of the sea, and having safely landed, finds his death 
in a pond." Hence, conscientious superiors are always solicitous to ex- 
tirpate all inordinate love, even for trifles, not only in themselves, but 
also in their inferiors. St. Dositheus, the great disciple of that great 
master, St. Dorotheus, once manifested a strong desire for a certain 
knife, and asked St. Dorotheus to let him have it, not indeed for him- 
self, but for the use of the sick-room, because he was infirmarian. Doro- 
theus said to him : " Well, Dositheus, does the knife please you ? Do 
you prefer to be a slave to a knife, rather than to Jesus Christ ? Do you 
not blush that a knife is your master ? Henceforward, I charge you 



26 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



not so much as to touch it." And St. Dositheus never after touched 
it. Therefore, Sisters, have no predilection or inclination for anything 
in the world, even though it should be only a trifle. As soon as you 
perceive such an inclination, banish it at once from your heart, remem- 
bering the words of Christ : " Every one of you that doth not renounce 
all that he possesseth, cannot be my disciple." {Luke 14 : 33). 

. The virtue of Poverty implies a love for Poverty. Not money, but 
the love of money, is the root of all evil ; so, not poverty, but the love 
of Poverty, is a virtue. As already observed, there are many poor peo- 
ple who look upon poverty as a heavy burden, and would gladly shake 
it off at any moment. To such, poverty is anything but meritorious. 
Only Christians who are content with their poverty, and even rejoice in 
being poor and needy, possess the virtue of Poverty, and may expect a 
great reward from God hereafter. St. Francis of Assisium possessed this 
virtue in a most eminent degree. Reared as a merchant's son, in the lap 
of luxury, he relinquished his entire patrimony, and clothed himself in 
poor, common garments. He went begging, in order to collect as much 
money as would repair the church of St. Damian, and then, he assisted 
the workmen. When in the church, hearing the words : " Do not pos- 
sess gold, nor silver, nor money in your purses, nor scrip for your jour- 
ney, nor two coats, nor shoes, nor a staff," he put off his shoes and staff, 
and 'girded himself with a cord. Many lovers of poverty soon gathered 
around him, and the Order of Friars Minor was established, one of the 
laws of which forbade any of its members, or even the community, to 
possess any property. The world had never seen such a thing before. 
St. Francis so loved poverty, that he called it his royal spouse. Being 
asked, one day, which virtue pleased him most, he said : " Poverty 
is the way to salvation, the mother of humility, the root of perfection. 
Its fruits are hidden, but they are multiplied in a thousand different 
ways." 

He who loves poverty must necessarily love every inconvenience and 
hardship which poverty brings in its train, such as hunger, thirst, hu- 
miliation, and contempt. That Sister is despised by God and man, who 
pretends to be poor, and yet desires all the comforts of life, and who 
complains, if she is deprived of them. You say you have made the 
vow of Poverty, yet you complain when your portion is a little 
less than usual, or when it is not seasoned according to your taste, 
or when you do not get a new habit at the very time you expect it ; and 
what is worse than all, you murmur at your superiors. Can you say, 
that you observe the vow of Poverty, if you desire the finest texture, and 
the best Mnen ? or if you are dissatisfied because your habit is not highly 
becoming to you ? Ah, you have made the vow of Poverty, but you 



First Day. — Meditation IV. 



27 



have not the virtue of Poverty ! In fact, you do not keep your vow. 

Reflect, whether hitherto you have really loved Poverty to which you 
obliged yourselves by a vow, and whether you have accepted and borne 
the hardships connected therewith, if not with joy, at least with patience, 
in the spirit of penance, and for the love of your divine Saviour? If, 
herein, you know yourself to be more or less guilty, ask pardon of God, 
and make a firm resolution of amendment. 

II. The degrees of Poverty. 

The degrees ot evangelical Poverty, generally assigned by spiritual 
writers, may be reduced to three : 

1. The first degree of Poverty is, that Religious give up all things not 
only exteriorly, but also interiorly, and detach their hearts from them. 
Therefore, you must look upon all things you have and use, as merely 
lent to you, and be prepared to relinquish them at the least sign of your 
superior. " A Religious," says St. Ignatius, " in regard to the things 
he has for his use, should be like a statue, which is dressed and stripped 
again, without being troubled, or without making any resistance." It is 
thus, you should look upon your books, your habit, cell, or anything 
else you make use of. If you are ordered to give them up, or to make 
' exchange with others, you must be no more concerned than a statue is, 
when it is undressed ; and by this means, all proprietorship will be 
avoided. If, therefore, I see a Religious who manifests any repugnance, 
or dissatisfaction, when she is required through obedience to part with 
anything, I am obliged to conclude, that she did not use it in the spirit of 
Poverty, or that she had at least an attachment to it, which cannot be 
approved. St. Augustine appropriately remarks : " It frequently hap- 
pens, that we believe we do not love a thing whilst it is in our possession, 
but when we come to be deprived of it, it is then we certainly know 
our true feelings in regard to it. If you find, that you are troubled and 
uneasy when anything is taken from you, there is no doubt but that 
you loved it ; for all your trouble and uneasiness come from a too great 
attachment to it. On the contrary, if you experienced no grief at all 
in parting with it, it is evident you had no affection for it ; for we re- 
linquish without pain, that which we possess without love ; but we can- 
not give up without grief, that which we enjoy with pleasure." Examine 
yourselves then, and see what would be your feelings, if your superior 
should order you to give up something which, hitherto, you have had 
for your use. If you perceive, that you have an attachment for a cer- 
tain thing, imitate the great servant of God, Mary of the Cross, a Car- 
melite nun, who when she found she had an attachment for anything what- 



28 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



soever, deprived herself of it at once, and carried it to her superioress, 
requesting her to do with it as she pleased. Your heart should be de- 
tached from all earthly things, and prepared at any and every moment 
to give up what you have in use, should obedience demand it. 

2. The second degree of Poverty is to possess nothing superfluous ; 
for superfluity prevents perfect union with God. St. Mary Magdalen 
of Pazzi removed even all ornaments from the altar, and left only a 
crucifix on it. St. Teresa relates of herself, that as long as she pos- 
sessed anything superfluous, she could not recollect herself in prayer, un- 
til she had removed it, because she knew ho\* zealous God is for pov- 
erty in spirit. Here, all depends upon the knowledge of what is super- 
fluity. This knowledge is easily acquired ; all we have to do is to con- 
sider the Rule, the will of the Superior, and the example of zealous 
Religious. If a Religious observe the rule in regard to the holding 
and the use of temporal things, if she cheerfully and promptly does 
what her Superiors command, and if she takes pious, conscientious Re- 
ligious for her model, she need not fear that she has anything super- 
fluous. 

In order to enter more into detail, Religious should be simple and 
moderate, 

(a) In their dress, which should serve them for necessity, not for 
vanity. For what else would nice clothes serve Religious, than for 
the gratification of vanity, that they might be esteemed by those who see 
them ; for no one desires to wear costly clothes when he cannot be 
seen by others. The Holy Ghost says, that the beauty of a spouse of 
Christ is not exterior, but interior : " All the glory of the king's daughter 
is within." (Ps. 44 : 14). The exterior betrays what is hidden in the 
soul. Thus, a splendid garment, a vain ornament, betrays a vain soul. 
Hence, St. Chrysostom says, that a Religious who adorns her body, 
manifests the ugliness of her soul. St. Mary Magdalen of Pazzi saw 
many nuns in hell on account of sins committed against Poverty, and es- 
pecially, on account of vanity of dress. 

(b) In their divelling. In the annals of St. Jerome, we read, that if the 
superiors found in the cells of their subjects rare and beautiful articles, 
.they called them the idols of Religious, and cast them into the fire. The 
great servant of God, Mary Magdalen Carafa, formerly duchess of An- 
dria, afterwards a nun in Naples, would have in her cell neither paint- 
ings, nor gifts, nor many books. " One book," she used to say, "is 
enough for reading ; the chief thing is, to practise what we read." 
She said this, to shame those who have their cells full of spiritual books, 



First Day. — Meditation. IV. 



29 



but practise nothing of what is contained in them. St. Teresa daily 
searched her cell to see if anything superfluous was in it, and if she 
found anything that she considered not absolutely necessary, she 
immediately removed it. 

(c) In eating and drinking. Many holy Religious led a most mortified 
life. St. Clare usually ate only bread and vegetables ; during Lent, her 
diet consisted of bread and water, and even this, only on four days in 
the week ; on the other three, she neither ate nor drank anything. St. 
Peter of Alcantara swore everlasting enmity to fondness for dainties ; 
he ate but little, and the very worst food at that. The hardest and 
blackest bread he loved most, and he preferred stale vegetables to fresh 
and good. Even on festivals, his meal consisted of a small piece of black 
bread, and a few spoonfuls of parboiled vegetables, which he seasoned 
with ashes and aloes. He never drank wine, not even upon the advice 
of physicians, and never water enough to quench his thirst. He usually 
took his nourishment only every third day, and often he would not 
taste anything for a whole week. St. John of the Cross, after his 
profession, for twenty-four years ate nothing but bread and water, 
and some vegetables or fruit. When, in his sickness, he was ordered 
to take some warm food, he contented himself with a piece of 
bread soaked in soup ; and because the physicians forced him to drink 
a little wine, he mixed it with soup, in order to render his small quan- 
tity of nourishment still more tasteless. 

I have mentioned these examples, not for imitation, but to encourage 
you to be content with plain, substantial food, and not to desire better 
diet than is allowed by your rule. It is a sign, that a Religious is very 
little advanced in the spiritual life, if she be not satisfied with what is 
set before her, but desires that which flatters the palate, or her own 
dainty fastidiousness. 

3. The third degree of Poverty is to be content, even if you have not what 
is necessary. Do not lose patience, or complain, if you sometimes want 
something that is desirable, or more or less necessary for you. Think of 
the poverty of Christ. When he was born, he needed a warm room and a 
soft bed ; but he wished to be born in an old, dilapidated stable, without 
any of the comforts of life, and to be laid in a crib upon hay and straw. 
When he died, to say the very least, he would have needed a pallet, or 
at most the hard ground, but he died between heaven and earth, on the 
cross. One look at Jesus, should be sufficient to induce you to em- 
brace with perfect patience, all the privations imposed on you by the 
vow of Poverty. I shall adduce only one more example. St. Mary 
Magdalen of Pazzi became sad when the superioress offered her anything 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



which she needed. One day, at dinner, she had no bread, at which she 
was so much rejoiced, that she afterwards accused herself of excessive 
joy. Sometimes, she would exclaim : " What joy it would be for me, if I 
went to eat, and would find nothing to eat ; if I went to sleep, and would 
find no bed ; if I went to dress, and would find no garment ! O that all 
these things were wanting to me !" This, truly, was a worthy disciple of 
Jesus, who was so poor, that he had not whereto lay his head, and yet 
never uttered a word of complaint. 

Practise, then, the virtue of Poverty. Allow no inordinate desire 
for anything earthly to arise in your heart. Your desire must be 
directed to God and to eternal goods. Turn your faces towards the 
heavenly city. Acknowledge yourselves strangers and pilgrims on 
earth. After having courageously and heroically renounced all earthly 
possessions, do not, in religion, attach your heart to trifles. You have 
consecrated yourselves to God, — to him alone, you belong ; hence, 
nothing in this world, be it great or small, should have any attraction for 
you. Consider, that Poverty is an excellent means of attaining Chris- 
tian perfection ; and love it more than worldlings love money and 
earthly possessions. Look upon what you have in use, as being only lent 
to you, and be prepared to give it up, as soon as commanded to do so 
by your Superior. Never desire superfluous things ; be satisfied with 
what is necessary, and if you should sometimes want even that, let no 
complaint escape your lips. Blessed are you, if your heart is disengaged 
from all earthly things, and if you can say in truth : God is my por- 
tion. I love nothing, I desire nothing, but God alone ! Amen. 



SECOND DAY. 



MEDITATION I. 

THE VIRTUE OF POVERTY. 

St. Francis of Assisium, while still at home in his father's house, dis- 
tributed most liberal alms amongst the poor. One day, he sold several 
pieces of cloth in order to repair the old church outside the walls of 
Assisi with the price thereof. His father, hearing of what he had done, 
became very much enraged, chastised him unmercifully, and finally, con- 
ducted him to the bishop of Assisi, in whose presence, he made him re- 



Second Day. — Meditation I. 



3i 



nounce his inheritance, together with all expectations from his family. 
Francis did this without resistance, and relinquished his rich inheritance 
with admirable equanimity, as if he had given away no more than a penny. 
He even stripped himself of his clothes, and gave them to his father, 
saying cheerfully and meekly : " Hitherto, I have called you father on 
earth, but now I can say with more confidence : Our Father ; who art in 
heaven, in whom I place all my hope and treasure !" He renounced the 
world with greater pleasure than others receive its favors, hoping to be 
freed from all that might divide or divert his heart from God. He was 
a good son, full of pure, filial affection, yet he renounced his, father and 
his father's house, and left all things to gain Christ. 

You did the same, Sisters, when you made the vow of Poverty. You 
relinquished not only all your property, but even father and mother, 
brother and sister, relatives and friends, in a word, all creatures. In the 
face of the Church, you vowed to ever remain poor and stript of all 
earthly things, able, like St. Francis, to say with truth : " Our Father, 
who art in heaven." Hence, the vow of Poverty which you have made, 
requires you not only to renounce money and property, but, also (as I 
shall show you), to disengage your heart, 

I. From your relations, 

II. From all men. 

I. Religious must disengage themselves from their relations. 

By relations, I understand the nearest blood-relations, as father and 
mother, brothers and sisters. Even from these, Religious must disengage 
themselves ; they must have no inordinate desire to see them, to meet 
them, to converse with them, or to be in their company ; neither must 
they be too solicitous about their temporal welfare, nor cause them- 
selves uneasiness about their business affairs 

1. The Religious state requires this disengagement from relations. She 
who enters the Religious state, separates herself from the world entirely 
and forever. The holy Rule imposes upon her the obligation of lead- 
ing a secluded life, and limits her intercourse with seculars, — allow- 
ing her only such as is necessary. Even when she converses with ex- 
terns, and attends to various business transactions, she must be in- 
teriorly separated from the world. The admonition of the Apostle 
regards her far more than ordinary Christians : " It remaineth, that 
they who use the world be, as if they used it not." (7. Cor. 7 : 31 ). 
This total interior and exterior separation from the world is indicated 
by the Religious habit, which differs from the dress of seculars ; by the 



3* 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



enclosure, which Religious must observe ; by the Rule, according to 
which they must serve God in a manner different from other Christians ; 
and finally, by the Religious vows, by which they are separated from the 
world, a barrier being raised between it and them. Again, she who 
enters Religion, not only separates herself from the world, but dies to 
it. As death separates from all creatures, so does entrance into the 
Religious state. As a dead person belongs no longer to the world, so 
neither does a Religious. This is also the reason why Religious, on 
entering Religion, receive another name, to remind them that henceforth 
they are dead to the world, and must live to Christ, who died for 
them. 

2. The word of God requires this disengagement. " If any man 
comes to me, and hate not his father and mother, brethren and sisters, 
he cannot be my disciple." ' Luke 14 : 26 ). She who enters Religion, 
properly speaking, becomes the Bride of Christ, — in other words, she 
contracts a spiritual espousal with him. Now, when Jesus says, that 
he who comes to him, must hate father and mother, brothers and sis- 
ters (understanding by hatred, a complete absence of all inordinate 
love), he indicates in an especial manner, the total separation of Religious 
even from their closest relations, for we avoid people whom we hate, 
and desire to have nothing to do with them. Our Blessed Lord once 
said to one of his disciples : " Follow me." But the disciple replied : 
" Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father." But Jesus said to him : 
" Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead." {Matt. 8 : 21, 22). 
These words of Christ concern all Christians, but especially all Religious, 
for they must be, as it were, dead to their nearest. relatives, such as fa- 
ther and mother. 

3. The salvation of the soul requires it. Our divine Saviour says : 
" A man's enemies shall be they of his own household." {Matt. 10 : 
36). There is no doubt that, in the affair of salvation, Christians in 
general, and but too often, Religious in particular, have no worse ene- 
mies than their parents and relatives, because by them they are often 
hindered from making rapid progress in the spiritual life. Religious 
who do not withdraw from their relations, who often converse with them, 
frequently think of them, and mentally occupy themselves with their 
temporal concerns, cannot lead a recollected life, are distracted in their 
devotions, and deprived of interior peace and freedom of mind.- Cares 
and anxieties concerning their relations, disturb their hearts, and cause 
them to belong to the Religious state only partially. Those Religious 
whose duties compel them to be out of the convent, should be there in 
spirit. But with some, it is often the reverse ; though bodily present 



Second Day. — Mediation I. 



33 



in the convent, their hearts are far from it. It is only too true, what St. 
Alphonsus says : " What does it profit you for your relations to come 
and tell you of their troubles, sicknesses, and needs ? It only fills your 
heart and mind with disquietude and distractions. After every visit of 
your relations, you will be disturbed and distracted at prayer, meditation, 
and at holy Communion ; you will always think of the things which they 
have related to you. Having renounced the world, why do you desire 
so ardently to receive frequent visits from your relations, which only 
rob you of peace, and hinder your spiritual progress ?" It is, therefore, 
certain, that Religious who wish to live peacefully and to make progress 
in the way of perfection, must detach their hearts from their relations ; 
hence, spiritual writers advise all who are consecrated to God, to shun 
their relations, to refrain from all unnecessary correspondence with them, 
and from mixing themselves up in their concerns. 

4. The example of all conscientious Religious who were solicitous for 
their salvation, teaches the necessity of this disengagement. — When St. 
Francis Xavier went on his mission to India, and passed near his native 
place, he would not so much as go there to see his mother and relatives, 
though they had urgently requested him to do so, and though he knew 
that he would never see them again in this life. What self-denial ! 
When the sister of St. Pachomius came to visit him, he sent her this mes- 
sage : "You know now that I am living, therefore, return home in peace." 
And he did not see his sister. Some of the Saints would not even read 
the letters from their parents and relatives. St. John Climacus relates 
that the holy Abbot Antonius, after having lived many years in the desert, 
received letters from his relatives, and fearing that by reading them, he 
might become disturbed and lose his interior peace, he cast them into the 
fire, saying : " Depart from me, ye thoughts of my country, that I may not 
return again to those things which I left ! Ye must be burnt, that I may 
not bum on your account." 

Such should be your sentiments and your disposition, for, as you are 
bodily separated from your relatives, so should your spirit be separated 
from them. You should die to the world, in order to live to Christ 
alone. The words of the Lord are applicable to you : " Hearken, O 
daughter, and see, and incline thy ear, and forget thy people and thy 
father's house. And the king shall greatly desire thy beauty ; for he is 
the Lord thy God." (Ps % 44 : 11, 12). Great is the recompense 
which you shall receive from the Lord, if, for the love of him, you dis- 
engage your heart from those who are most closely united to you by the 
ties of blood, for Christ says : " Every one who hath left house or breth- 
ren, or sisters, or father, or mother . . . for my name's sake, shall receive 
a hundredfold, and shall possess life everlasting." {Matt. 19 : 29). 



34 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



She who leaves her parents not only bodily, but also according to the 
affections, shall possess eternal happiness hereafter, and, even in this 
life, receive a hundredfold. Religious leave, at most, only a few brothers 
and sisters in the world, and find many in the convent. They leave 
father and mother, and in their place, receive God for their Father, and 
Mary for their Mother, by whom they are treated as well-beloved chil- 
dren. " My father and my mother have left me, but the Lord hath taken 
me up." 

II. Religious must disengage themselves from all people. 

Religious belong to Christ, to whom they have espoused themselves by 
their vows ; they, therefore, must separate themselves not only from 
their relations, but from all people in general. Among them, are in- 
cluded, 

i. Seculars. The reasons, why Religious must avoid all unnecessary 
intercourse with seculars, are the following : 

[a) That they may not transgress their holy Rule, which imposes upon 
them the duty of leading a retired life, and of limiting their intercourse 
with the world to what is absolutely necessary. If a Religious loves to 
converse with seculars, and does so unnecessarily, she acts against the 
holy Rule, and incurs guilt before God. If she fails to seclude herself 
from the world as much as possible, she shows beyond doubt, that she is 
more actuated by the spirit of the world, than by the spirit of religion, 
and that, consequently, she does not walk in the right path. 

{b) That they may ?tot lose precious time. If seculars visit the monastery 
frequently, perhaps daily, and the Religious entertain them, and con- 
verse with them for hours, how much time is lost from year to year, 
which could and should have been better employed ! Moreover, if it is 
true, that we are to render an account to God for every minute of our 
life, how much those Religious have to fear, who have spent untold min- 
utes, nay, hours, in useless, idle conversation ! * 

(c) That they may not expose themselves to the danger of off eliding God 
in many ways. I desire to call your attention chiefly to the sins of the 
tongue. When Religious frequently converse with seculars, does it not 
almost invariably happen, that they say something which they have 
afterwards to regret as a sin ? Do they not often violate fraternal char- 
ity by evil words, truth by one or another exaggeration or insincerity, 
or humility by a vain, ambitious word ? And if they listen with 



Second Day. — Meditation I. 35 

complacency to the discourses of seculars, (which are only too fre- 
quently sinful), or, through human respect, appear to endorse their 
opinions, do they not sin more or less gravely before God ? Sometimes, 
too, Religious are so imprudent as to disclose what, for the ben- 
efit of the Order, should be kept secret, or say something of externs 
which furnishes an occasion of dissensions. Here, let me remark, that 
by frequent intercourse with seculars, especially with persons of the op- 
posite sex, temptations of the worst kind maybe caused and nourished, 
— temptations, which perhaps, lead to mortal sins. Human nature is 
human nature under all circumstances, and evil concupiscence endeav- 
ors to maintain its power in monasteries, as well as in the world. There- 
fore : " Trust, but know in whom you trust." 

Be very cautious, then, not to converse too much with seculars, and 
observe the following rules. First, as often as obedience obliges you to 
speak to seculars, recommend yourselves to your divine Saviour in a short 
ejaculatory prayer, that he may protect and guard you against every sin. 
Secondly, never meet seculars for the sake of pastime, or to hear what 
is going on in the world, in order to relate to the whole Community af- 
terwards what you have heard. Thirdly, beware of mentioninganything 
of what transpires in the convent, and that could only be to the detri- 
ment of your superiors, or companions in religion. Fourthly, if seculars 
converse about useless, or even offensive things, as marriages, balls, 
courtships, etc., interrupt the conversation, or at least, lead it into an- 
other channel, and endeavor to speak on something proper and salu- 
tary. Fifthly, endeavor to shorten conversations with seculars as much 
as possible, and to leave them under some pretence or another. Rest as- 
sured, that the shorter the visit is, the fewer faults you will commit ; and 
that the less frequently these visits occur, the more recollected in spirit 
you will be, and the better you will be able to preserve peace of heart 
and fervor in good. 

2. Clergymen. 

[a) " The Sisters," says St. Alphonsus, " must be very careful and 
circumspect with clergymen, both regular and secular, especially, if they 
notice that they come to converse with them not of God and spiritual 
things, but from a natural inclination which they entertain for them." 
It would be very expedient if they would speak with their confessors 
only in the confessional. With their spiritual guides, they must con- 
verse very carefully, for just on account of the confidence which they 
repose in them, in confiding to them the secrets of their conscience, a 
natural inclination is almost unavoidable, which, unless guarded and 
bridled, could easily result in an abominable passion. You may tell me, 



36 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



that there is nothing to be feared, that the priest is a holy man. , Hear 
what St. Thomas of Aquino says : " The holier the persons are, for whom 
we feel a particular inclination, the more we must guard against them, for 
the opinion which we have of their holiness will entice us only the more 
violently to love them." And the Angelic teacher continues: "The 
devil knows well how to conceal the danger, and therefore, in the begin- 
ning, does not pierce the heart with poisoned arrows, but with such as 
awaken affection and good-will, and cause small wounds, but very soon 
such persons, when love is once enkindled, will converse with each other 
no longer as angels, but like men of flesh and blood ; they will often look 
at each other, exchange affectionate words, will wish to be often to- 
gether alone, and thus spiritual friendships will degenerate into carnal 
love." 

(b) St. Bonaventure mentions five marks, which clearly indicate when 
the inclination is no longer pure. 

1. If the conversation lasts long, is useless and idle ; and it is always 
useless and idle when it lasts too longw 

2. If they mutually love to look at each other, and to praise each 
other. 

3. If they excuse each other's faults. 

4. If little jealousies occur ; and finally, 

5. If one becomes disquieted at the departure of the other. 

Be very cautious, therefore, in your conversation with priests, and pre- 
serve in your heart the fear of God. Converse with them as with the poor 
souls in purgatory, only from a distance, and without looking at them. 
Of your spiritual concerns, speak to them only in the confessional. 

3. Persons in the same Order. They should love one another sincerely 
and heartily, live in peace with one another, and share each other's joys 
and sorrows, but entertain no particular friendship for each other. All 
spiritual writers inveigh against such particular friendships among Re- 
ligious, and call them the pestilence and plague of a community. They 
are, too frequently, the cause of disturbances and dissensions ; they create 
divisions and parties, and in that way, render Religious-life a hell. I 
will not mention here, that such particular friendships and familiarities 
can lead to the greatest and most abominable sins, to sins which are fre- 
quently concealed in confession, and therefore, incur the most horrible 
consequences. Guard, therefore, against nothing so much as against 
forming a particular friendship for one or other of the Sisters. Love 
one another in a thoroughly Christian manner. Show yourselves cour- 



Second Day. — Meditation II. 



37 



teous and obliging even towards those Sisters for whom you feel no 
natural affection and inclination ; and endeavor by word and example, to 
stimulate one another to virtue and holiness. 

At the conclusion of this, our Meditation on your first vow, Poverty, 
resolve from this moment, to fulfil it with new fervor to its fullest ex- 
tent. Free your heart from all that the world has or gives ; for the 
goods of this world are vain, frail, perishable, and utterly valueless for 
eternity. A single good work weighs heavier in the scales of God, than 
all the gold and silver of the world. Let no inordinate affection for 
persons find room in your heart. Wheivyou entered Religion, you bade 
adieu to the world forever ; you died to it, and became the property 
of Christ ; to him alone, you belong, and to no one else. Dedicate 
yourselves to him again with body and soul, and often say to him with 
heart and lips : "Jesus, for thee I live, — Jesus, for thee I die, — Jesus, 
thine am I, in life and in death." Amen. 



MEDITATION II. 

THE VOW OF CHASTITY. 

St. Hilary, bishop of Poitiers, was married before he became a 
priest, and had a daughter whom, when he was sent into exile on account 
of his faith, he placed with a Christian family to be educated. After 
a few years, a wealthy young man of respectable parentage sought her 
hand in marriage. But the virgin would not pledge her troth, until she 
had obtained her father's consent and blessing to the alliance. She, 
therefore, wrote him in his exile. Her saintly father sent her the follow- 
ing answer : " The bridegroom who sues for your hand, is of too low ex- 
traction ; neither is he handsome, rich, wise, or amiable enough to be 
your spouse. I have sought another Bridegroom for you ; he is a King's 
son, and his beauty, goodness, riches and power surpass all conception. 
You will surely love him when you come to know him, and in his love, 
you will be happy. When I return home, which I hope will be soon, I 
will bring you his likeness, till he himself comes to espouse you." Hav- 
ing returned to France, he showed her the picture of the Crucified Sa- 
viour, the heavenly Bridegroom of chaste souls. She was satisfied with 
her father's choice, and resolved to give her heart and affections to her 
Redeemer. Not long after, this virgin, in the bloom of her youth, was 
lying on her death-bed. Hilary assisted his dying daughter, and when 



38 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



he gave her the holy Communion as Viaticum, he said full of emotion and 
joy : Behold, my daughter, the Bridegroom is coming. This is the 
King's Son to whom I have espoused you, and to whom you have given 
your heart and your love. Enter into the joy of the Lord ; go to the 
nuptial feast, and be happy forever in the bonds of divine love !" 

You have chosen the same lover as the one to whom St. Hilary's 
daughter gave her heart. You have renounced every alliance with the 
world, and have chosen Jesus for your Bridegroom ; you have made the 
vow of perpetual Chastity. If you conscientiously keep this vow, you 
will die as peacefully and happily as did the daughter of St. Hilary. 

Let us then briefly consider : 

I. What the vow of Chastity means , 

II. What an excellent vow it is. 

I. What does the vow of Chastity mean ? 

She who makes the vow of Chastity, consecrates herself to the divine 
Saviour with body and soul, and binds herself all the days of her life 
to refrain from everything contrary to holy purity. She relinquishes 
matrimony, in order to serve God more faithfully, and to live more per- 
fectly. This angelic virtue covers a large field ; it embraces both body 
and soul. That you may observe the vow of Chastity in the way you are 
bound to observe it before God, you must detest and shun whatever 
might, even in the least, defile body or soul. 

i. I shall not speak of impure vuorks, that is, of sinful acts which are 
committed against chastity. St. Paul says, that a widow who lives in 
pleasures, is dead while she is living. (/. Tim. 5 : 6). What appalling 
words these are ! What would the same Apostle say of a Religious, who 
has consecrated herself to God, and vowed to preserve holy purity invio- 
late to her last breath, were she to give herself up to impure desires, and 
be guilty of things abominable in the sight of God and man ? Even the 
pagans, Jews, and in general, all men who are not baptized, render 
themselves guilty of eternal damnation, if they commit a sin against 
purity, for the simple reason that they sin against the natural law, and 
■consequently, violate a commandment which God has inscribed on every 
man's heart. But Christians who commit impurity, sin more grievously, 
because through holy Baptism, their bodies have been consecrated, and 
made temples of the Holy Ghost. What a sacrilegious profanation ! 
Can we wonder, when we hear the Apostle declare, that God will de- 
stroy the man who violates the temple of God ? (/. Cor, 3 : 17). Still 
greater is the sin of impurity in Christians, who have made their first 



Second Day.— Meditation. II. 39 

Communion, for holy Communion unites us most intimately with Christ ; 
his Body becomes, as it were, our body, — his Blood, our blood. Thus, 
the sin of impurity in a Christian who has received Communion is, in a 
certain sense, a violation of the most holy Body and Blood of Christ. 
Wherefore, the Apostle says: "Know you not, that your bodies are 
members of Christ ? Shall I then, taking the members of Christ, make 
them the members of a harlot ? " (/. Cor. 6 : 15). Can anything more 
horrible be imagined ! Now, remember well, far more grievously than 
the unbaptized or the baptized, far more grievously than Christians who 
have received holy Communion, do Religious sin who violate chastity. 
And why ? — because they break their vow. They do not, as other 
Christians, commit a single, but a double sin, because they violate two 
commandments, the Sixth Commandment of God, and the command- 
ment which they made to themselves by their vow. Now, if St. John 
writes that the portion of the unchaste, be they believers or unbelievers, 
shall be in the pool burning with fire and brimstone, what shall be the 
lot that awaits unchaste Religious ? Of this, however, I shall say no 
more. I would merely exhort you, if your conscience should reproach 
you with anything in this regard, to confess it candidly and sincerely, 
that you may obtain grace and forgiveness from God. 

2. However, not only by gross works of impurity, but by everything 
contrary to modesty and decorum, the vow of Chastity is violated. All 
indecent touches, whether done to one's self or to others, all unchaste 
looks, all indecent double-meaning words, all frivolous gestures and 
motions, are sinful and reprehensible before God, and doubly sinful 
and culpable in Religious. Pious Christians of all times, and especially 
Religious, took this so fully to heart, that they not only continually bri- 
dled and controlled their senses, but carefully guarded against every- 
thing that could violate chastity even in the slightest degree, or en- 
danger it in any way. I shall adduce here a few examples. St. Aloy- 
sius was so modest in his looks that he did not know by their features 
any of the persons with whom he came in daily contact. He did not 
even dare to look at his own mother. It is related of St. Arsenius, who 
lived in the desert, that a respectable lady called upon him, one 
day, to recommend herself to his prayers. As soon as the saint noticed 
that it was a woman, he immediately hastened away ; whereupon, she 
cried after him : " If you will neither see nor hear me, think of me at 
least in your prayers." " No," replied the saint, " I will ask God to 
make me forget you altogether." Of another hermit, we read that he 
always covered his face, so that he could see nothing but the earth ; 
neither would he speak with any man. He never opened his eyes, for 
fear a temptation might arise in his heart, and prove detrimental to his 



40 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



soul. Being asked why he adopted such an eccentric course of con- 
duct, he replied : " Let me alone, for I am only a man !" When St. 
Peter of Alcantara was at the point of death, he noticed that the infir- 
marian touched him, to whom he said : " Do not touch me, for I am 
still living, and might offend God." Behold, in these examples of the 
Saints, how carefully you should guard your senses, and how circum- 
spect and mortified you should be at ail times and in all places, that 
you may not be the cause of anything contrary to hoi}' purity ! 

3. The vow of Chastity, however, is not fully complied with by keep- 
ing the body and its senses pure ; a chaste heart is also required. God 
regards the heart ; if one were outwardly as chaste as an angel, but 
would entertain unchaste thoughts and desires in his heart, God would 
turn his face from him in disgust, and he would be of the number of 
those of whom Christ says, that they resemble whited sepulchres, 
which outwardly appear beautiful to men, but within, are full of dead 
men's bones, and all filthiness. {Matt. 23 : 27). Every impure thought 
which is entertained voluntarily, and with pleasure and complacency, 
is a mortal sin, and incurs eternal damnation, if it be not contritely con- 
fessed and amended. Still more must this be said of voluntary un- 
chaste desires. They are almost as sinful as unchaste actions, in the 
sight of God, with whom the will goes for the deed. Wherefore, Christ 
says : " Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath already 
committed adultery with her in his heart." {Matt. 5 : 28). It is need- 
less to remark, that unchaste thoughts and desires, as well as impure 
actions, are more sinful in Religious than in other Christians, for the 
reason that, if they voluntarily entertain such thoughts and desires, 
they violate not only the Ninth Commandment, but also their vow. 

Herein, consists the vow of Chastity which you have made for your 
whole life. Everything contrary to holy purity in thought, word, and 
deed is strictly prohibited under penalty of losing your immortal 
soul. St. Antoninus, Archbishop of Florence, relates, that a young 
person brought up in the strictest principles of morality, being very 
much tempted, fell into a grievous sin. She had scarcely committed 
the sin, when she was overcome with shame, and tormented with re- 
morse of conscience. She went to confession, but could not prevail 
upon herself to disclose the sin. Her sacrilegious confession increased 
the stings of conscience. She believed she could allay them by austere 
practices of penance. She entered a convent, and resolved to confess 
in a general confession the sin which she had hitherto concealed. This 
she really did, but so palliated it, that her confessor could not know 
her sins. She led such an edifying life in the convent, that, after the 
death of her superioress, she was elected to fill her place. Shortly 



Second Day. — Meditation II. 



41 



after, she became dangerously sick. She had always vowed within her- 
self to confess her sin on her death-bed, but even now, a false shame 
closed her lips. She received the Sacraments of the dying, apparently 
with great devotion, but in reality, sacrilegiously. When she felt her- 
self in the agony of death, she thought she would declare the sin, but, 
(O the terrible judgment of God !) she lost her senses, and died in 
her sin ! The austerities which she had practised, united with her 
exemplary Religious life, left no room to doubt of her salvation. But, 
whilst prayers were being offered for her, God permitted the unhappy 
soul to appear to her Sisters under a frightful form, and say : il Cease 
your prayers for rne ! I am damned, because I did not confess a sin 
which I committed in my youth !" Reflect on the terrible fate of this 
Religious, and endeavor to be very sincere in your confessions ; if un- 
fortunately, you should have in one way or another, failed against your 
vow of Chastity, disclose it with childlike sincerity, because this is the 
only means of saving your soul from eternal perdition. 

II. The excellence of the vow of Chastity. 

I would detain you too long, were I to explain to you at length the 
excellence of the virtue of Chastity, to which you have bound yourselves 
by a vow. I will only mention a few things. 

1. Chastity is the most beautiful of all virtues. It elevates man above 
the motions and weaknesses of nature, brings him into the most inti- 
mate union with God, and ennobles his entire being. Virginal souls 
imitate the life of the angels. In fact, a virgin is as an angel in the 
flesh. Such a soul walks constantly in the presence of God ; she con- 
tinually stands before his throne in spirit, and offers him the sacrifice 
of her heart and its affections. All her intentions are directed to him, 
and the fire of divine love by which she is inflamed , weakens all evil im- 
pressions, and disarms all temptations. A chaste soul, therefore, truly 
lives like an angel, in whom the Most High is well pleased. 

No virtue renders us so like the angels, for chastity enables us to live 
in our bodies, as if we carried no flesh about us. Nay, a chaste soul is 
in a manner superior to the angels themselves, for they, being incorpo- 
real, cannot but live pure and spotless. It is easy for them to do so ; 
they are pure by nature, they suffer no temptation, they behold only the 
purest objects, no sinful thought enters their mind, they have no war- 
fare to wage against the flesh. But, if we, human beings, are clean of 
heart, we can be so only by means of virtue, by a higher power than our 
own, by constant watchfulness, and by an uninterrupted warfare against 
the enemies of our soul. Our purity is the fruit of the holiest and 



4 2 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



strongest love of God, whilst that of the angels is only a natural quality. 
From this, it also follows that our purity excels in value that of the an- 
gels ; for greater admiration is due to man who, in this frail and mortal 
body which continually, wars against the spirit, lives as if he had no hu- 
man body. 

2. Uncontaminated chastity raises us to the highest dignity j for Christ 
vouchsafes to accept chaste souls as his brides. We see this in the par- 
able of the ten virgins, wherein our Saviour represents himself as the 
Bridegroom of the virgins. (Matt. 25). For this reason, the bishop in 
receiving the vows of a Sister, says to her : " I espouse thee to Jesus 
Christ, that he may preserve thee undefiled. As his bride, receive the ring 
of faith, that after having served him faithfully, thou mayest be crowned 
forever." What an honor, what a distinction, for a chaste, virginal soul 
to be accepted by Jesus Christ as his bride ! If a king's son would choose 
a shepherd's daughter for his bride, and elevate her to the royal dignity, 
how much would she feel honored, how happy would she deem herself ! 
But far more exalted is the dignity to which chaste souls are elevated. 
Not an earthly king, but Jesus Christ, the King of heaven and earth, 
chooses them for his brides ; not a corruptible crown does he place on 
their heads, but an eternal one, the crown of heaven. Hence, St. Clare 
of Montefalco used to say, that she esteemed virginity so highly, that 
she would rather suffer the pains of hell for all eternity, than lose this 
precious treasure. Hence, also, St. Agnes, when the son of the govern- 
or was offered her for a bridegroom, replied : " I have found a far bet- 
ter Bridegroom." She meant Jesus Christ, to whom she had vowed vir- 
ginal chastity. St. Domatilla, a niece of the emperor Domitian, made 
the same answer to the woman who would persuade her that she could 
marry Aurelian without detriment to her soul, since he, although a pa- 
gan, would allow her to remain a Christian. " But tell me," replied the 
saint, "if to a virgin were offered a king and a peasant at one and the 
same time, which of the two would she choose ? Were I to espouse 
Aurelian, I should renounce my union with the King of heaven and 
earth. Would I not be a fool to do this ? Therefore, tell Aurelian to 
renounce his claims." The saint was condemned to be burnt alive. This 
painful death she endured willingly and courageously, in order to re- 
main faithful to Jesus Christ, to whom she had vowed her virginity. 
Numberless virgins esteemed chastity so highly, that they would rather 
die than cease to be virginal spouses of Jesus Christ. 

3. The virginal state, finally, is far more excellent than the nuptial 
state, because the virgin thinketh on the things of the Lord, that she 
may be holy both in body and spirit. (/. Cor. 7 : 34). Whilst the mar- 



Second Day. — Meditation II. 



ried live, as it were, in servitude, and are weighed down by many cares 
and troubles, a virgin is in full possession of her liberty, and knows no 
other concern than to serve her Lord and God. Whilst others adorn and 
decorate themselves, in order to please the eyes of men, the virgin has 
time to enrich her soul with virtues, and to draw down upon herself the 
pleasure of God. Whilst others, if their marriages do not turn out well, 
have to endure many unpleasant things, the virgin is ignorant of all this, 
and spends her days in peace. Others, again, though their union be a 
happy one, lose their husbands, or are separated from them in a painful 
manner; and not unfrequently, are left with their children in great misery. 
Even in this regard, the virgin has nothing to fear ; for her Bridegroom 
is immortal, and when she herself dies, she is still more intimately united 
with him. — With what ineffable consolation, can a virgin depart this life ! 
She has no earthly ties ; her heart clings to nothing ; death is not hard 
for her. She has belonged to her divine Saviour all the days of her life ; 
what greater felicity can there be for her, than to be united with him for 
all eternity ! O, what is more beautiful than a virgin consecrated to God ! 
The holy Angels come to carry her before the throne of God ; she sees, like 
Stephen, the heavens open, and Jesus, her Bridegroom, at the right hand 
of God, prepared to crown her with the fadeless crown of glory. More- 
over, virginal souls, who have served God in undefiled purity, receive 
special and higher felicity than the other Saints. St. John saw virgins fol- 
low the Lamb, Jesus, upon Mount Sion, (that is, in heaven), whithersoever 
he went ; and he heard them sing a new song which none else could 
sing. " I saw," says he, " the Lamb upon Mount Sion, and one hun- 
dred and forty-four thousand with him, singing, as it were, a new song, 
and which none else can sing, but only these one hundred and forty-four 
thousand which he had redeemed from the earth. These are such as were 
never defiled by women. They are virgins, who follow the Lamb whither- 
soever he goeth." (Apoc. 14 : 3, 4). St. Jerome compares the vir- 
ginal state to a grain of wheat which brings forth fruit a hundredfold, 
whilst widowhood produces fruit sixtyfold, and the married state, thirty- 
fold. St. Chrysostom says : "Chastity is so wonderfully prolific in 
merits, that he who desires to have no heirs upon earth, can expect a 
greater glory as his inheritance in heaven." 

This much, I hope, will suffice to convince you of the excellence of 
Chastity, which you have vowed to God. Esteem this virtue very 
highly, and return thanks to God from the bottom of your heart for 
having called you to the Religious state, wherein you can serve God 
during your whole life in undefiled purity. Walk cautiously, and in the 
fear of God, that you may not sin either in thought, word, or deed 
against chastity. Nothing will give you greater consolation on your 
death-bed than the thought of having always observed the vow of 



44 A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 

Chastity, and of never having knowingly committed even a venial sin 
against it. Then, you can go with confidence to the throne of Jesus 
Christ, your Bridegroom, who has said : " Blessed are the clean of 
heart, for they shall see God." {Matt. 5 : 8). Amen. 



MEDITATION III. 

THE VOW OF CHASTITY. 

In ancient or modern times, there never was a firmer, or more mag- 
nificent structure than the Temple of Jerusalem. The walls were built 
of hewed stones, joined together with iron and lead. The interior of 
this Temple was inlaid with cedar-wood, and gilt. This magnificent 
building, which the Jews considered indestructible, was in a few hours 
leveled to the ground. Titus, the Roman general, who had laid siege 
to the city, and taken it by storm, had given express orders to save the 
Temple, but a soldier cast a fire-brand through the window into the edi- 
fice, and immediately, kindled by the wrath of God, it was in flames. 
Titus cried out : " Bring water ! Quench the fire !" but in vain. It 
could not be controlled ; and thus, the Temple became a prey to the de- 
vouring flames. 

The Temple of Jerusalem and its destruction, may be taken as a pic- 
ture of Chastity and its loss. This glorious virtue seems deeply rooted 
in the hearts of many Christians, but it is often lost suddenly and unex- 
pectedly. Ah ! how many innocent girls, who were remarkable for their 
modesty and exemplary conduct, have become corrupt for the want of 
the necessary precautions. You, Sisters, it is true, are more guarded 
against a fall, since your seclusion from the world protects you against 
many dangers and occasions of sin. You have, however, no absolute 
surety that you will not sin. You carry the treasure of grace in frail 
vessels, and the evil spirit has his eyes upon you, and lies in wait for 
you. It may, therefore, be expedient for me to call your attention to a 
few means, of which you must avail yourselves for the preservation of 
Chastity. 

Means for the preservation of Chastity. 

Our divine Saviour says : " Watch ye, and pray, that ye enter not into 
temptation." {Matt. 26 : 41). This admonition refers to all tempta- 



Second Day. — Meditation III. 



45 



tions, but especially, to temptations against holy purity. The first two 
means which you must employ for the preservation of Chastity, are vigi- 
lance and prayer. 

L Vigilance. This watchfulness must extend, 

1. To the thoughts and inclinations of the heart. We must guard all 
our senses, avoid every occasion of evil, reject impure thoughts, and 
make account of the smallest things in this regard, or we will soon give 
way to unlawful desires, and lose the grace of God. The devil acts in 
this regard, as a thief that is going to break into a house, who, finding 
the windows too narrow for himself, thrusts in a boy to open the door 
and admit him. In like manner, the devil sends evil suggestions, want 
of recollection, too great a liberty of our senses, and a thousand little 
temptations to open the door for him, that he may enter himself, and 
entice the unwary soul to impure actions. We must be always on the 
watch. We must endeavor to guard against even the least impure 
thoughts and desires. We must resist temptation with determination, 
if we would preserve ourselves from sin, To make no account of un- 
chaste thoughts and motions, is in itself, at least a venial sin. And such 
negligence will soon lead to mortal sins, to unchaste actions. Stifle sin- 
ful thoughts in their birth, as soon as they present themselves to your 
mind. Reject them, and they will leave you. They will, at least, 
not defile you so long as you detest them. The sinful thought that is 
not banished, causes complacency, complacency produces consent, and 
consent is succeeded by action ; repeated actions give rise to habit, and 
habit begets a kind of necessity, which finally plunges the soul into im- 
penitence and despair. Impure thoughts resemble a spark which falls 
upon straw, or other combustible objects ; if it is forthwith extinguished, 
it causes no damage ; but if it is not put out immediately, a great con- 
flagration will ensue. t£ Resist'the beginning," says a Kempis : " after 
remedies come too late." Be not indifferent to the least impure thought ; 
as soon as you observe it, suppress and banish it, that you may commit 
no sin. 

2. Vigilance must extend to the external senses. If the doors are al- 
ways open, especially at night, there is great danger that wicked people 
will enter the house and steal. The same is to be apprehended, if we 
leave our senses open. In other words, if we do not carefully watch over 
them, the enemies of our salvation will penetrate into our hearts, and de- 
prive us of the treasure of grace. This is especially true of the eyes. 
The eyes are the avenues by which all malice is conveyed to the heart, 
and the interior of him only who keeps a strict guard upon them, will 



4 6 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



be secure and free from danger. David, by one unguarded glance, fell 
into the sins of adultery and murder. " Death," says Jeremiah, " hath 
entered in by my windows," {Jer. 9 : 21), and "my soul is become a prey 
to mine eyes." (Sam. 3 : 51.) Therefore, we should never look upon 
what we are not allowed to desire ; if we do, there is reason to fear that 
we shall be punished for our curiosity, for the object upon which we 
look, will captivate our heart, and when we least expect it, we 
will be surprised to find that we have fallen. Alas ! how great 
is the number of those who, through curiosity of the eyes, fell into the 
vice of impurity, and are now buried in hell ! We need not wonder, 
therefore, that the Saints were so guarded with their eyes, that they cast 
them always to the earth, and did not look even upon innocent objects. 
Surius relates of St. Hugo, bishop of Grenoble, that he heard confes- 
sions every day, for fifty years and more, and conversed with all sorts of 
persons, who, because of his great sanctity, addressed themselves to him 
concerning their affairs ; yet he never looked upon the counte- 
nance of any woman sufficiently to know her by sight, except one. and 
then so slightly, that he did not know whether she was old or young, 
handsome or ugly. This saint used to say, that we ought to be extremely 
cautious in this regard, for if we once give free scope to our eyes, we 
shall never be able to deny sinful thoughts admission into our hearts. — 
Though such strict custody of your eyes is not absolutely necessary, you 
must, at least, carefully watch over them, and close them against all per- 
sons and objects whose aspect might become dangerous to you. If, by 
chance, something offensive comes before your eyes, avert them at once 
from it, and pray to God with David : " Turn away my eyes, that they 
may not behold vanity." (Ps. 118 : 37). 

3. Vigilance must finally extend to the outside world. Religious 
lead a life secluded from the world, but since, nevertheless, they fre- 
quently come in contact with externs, they must be very cautious, that 
they do not sin against their vow of Chastity. As I have already told 
you, you must limit your conversation with people of the world as 
much as possible. In your dealings with them, you must conduct 
yourselves in keeping with your state and sex, and guard against all 
manner of levity. If any one, no matter who, should be guilty in your 
presence of anything contrary to decency and modesty, you are bound 
to manifest your displeasure, and withdraw, — if not instantly, at least as 
soon as possible. In your intercourse and conversation with seculars, 
be friendly and courteous, but never intimate. Do not prolong your 
conversation with them beyond necessity, and never forget, that you 
are in the presence of God, that you may keep yourself free from dan- 
ger, and commit no fault either against purity or any other virtue. 



Second Day. 



, — Meditation III. 



47 



II. Prayer. We should recommend ourselves to God and to the 
Blessed Virgin every day, but especially, in temptation. 

1. We are weak, frail creatures and, with the best of will, not able 
to overcome temptation by our own strength. This is particularly true 
of impure temptations, over which we can gain the victory only by the 
assistance of divine grace. But this assistance of divine grace is a fruit 
of fervent prayer, according to the words of Christ : " Ask, and it shall 
be given you." (Luke n : 9). If, in time of temptation, you turn to 
God with confidence, and implore his grace, he will certainly assist you 
in preserving purity; " for," as the Apostle says, "God is faithful, 
who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able ; 
but will make also with temptation issue, that you may be able to bear 
it." (/. Cor. 10 : 13). For this reason, all pious servants of God 
have had recourse to prayer when assailed by impure temptations, in 
order to obtain strength from above, to overcome them. Solomon de- 
clares in the book of Wisdom : " And as I knew that 1 could not 
otherwise be continent, except God gave it, I went to the Lord, and 
besought him." ( Wis. 8: 21). The hermits in the desert of Egypt, 
agreed to call upon God in every temptation, and to invoke him in the 
words of the Psalmist : " O God, come to my assistance ! O Lord, 
make haste to help me !" (Ps. 69 : 1). Do likewise ; daily ask God 
for the gift of purity, and have recourse to him in prayer in every temp- 
tation, that he may enable you to be victorious over the enemies of 
your salvation. 

2. Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary is also an effectual means for 
the preservation of holy purity. Many spiritual writers say, that the 
virginal purity which St. John the Baptist possessed, was imparted to him 
by the visit of the Virgin Mother of God, who remained three months 
with her cousin Elizabeth. St. Peter of Alcantara asserts, that he per- 
ceived wonderful effects and fruits in those persons troubled with im- 
pure temptations, who daily offered a prayer in honor of the Immacu- 
late Conception of Mary, and of that virginal purity with which she 
conceived and brought forth the Son of God. 

Therefore, do not neglect to recommend yourselves daily to the in- 
tercession of Mary, that she may take you under her protection, and 
assist you to preserve inviolate the virtue of holy purity. For this pur- 
pose, say two Hail Marys, one in the morning and one in the evening, 
with the intention, that Mary may guard and protect you, that your 
purity may not suffer loss either by day or by night. 

III. A very excellent means for the preservation of holy purity is 
frequent meditaiio?i on the Passion a?id death of Christ. 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



" I find no remedy so powerful," says St. Augustine, "against the 
fire of concupiscence, as the remembrance of my Saviour's Passion. 
In all my difficulties, I realize, that there is nothing so efficacious as 
the wounds of Christ. In them, I rest securely ; from them, I derive 
new life." St. Bernard proposes the same remedy, saying : "As soon 
as you feel any temptation to impurity, think of the Passion of Christ, 
and say : My God is nailed to a cross, and shall I consent to these sin- 
ful thoughts and desires ? My God suffers unspeakable pains, and 
shall I yield to sensual lusts ?" Indeed, how could a Christian indulge 
in sensual pleasures, if he considered the painful death which our 
Saviour died for us ! When temptations assail you, do what these Saints 
recommend, — cast your eyes upon Jesus, your crucified Redeemer ; 
reflect upon his sufferings and pains ; and it will be an easy matter for 
you to reject every impure temptation, and to preserve purity. 

i. Another excellent means is meditation on the truths of our holy re- 
ligion, especially, 

(a) On the omnipresence of God. It was the thought : " God sees 
me ; I am in his holy presence," that strengthened Joseph of Egypt to 
overcome the temptation of the wicked wife of Potiphar. — "How can 
I do this wicked thing, and sin against my God ? " {Gen. 39 : 9). It 
was this thought that gave the chaste Susanna strength to declare to 
the two aged sinners : " It is better for me to fall into your hands with- 
out doing it, than to sin in the sight of the Lord." {Dan. 13 : 23). How 
could it be possible for us to sin if, in every temptation, we considered 
this serious truth : God sees me, the infinitely holy and just God, be- 
fore whose face every impurity is an abomination. — Does not the bold- 
est man refrain from his sins, when he fears that some one is a witness 
of them ? How, then, could we dare to do anything wicked in the sight 
of God ? In all your temptations, therefore, place yourselves in the 
presence of God, that you may never sin against the virtue and the vow 
of Chastity. 

(J?) On the four last things, — death, judgment, heaven, and hell. Ac- 
cording to the advice of the Wise Man : "In all thy works, remember 
thy last end ; and thou shalt never sin." {Eccles. 7 : 40). Death may 
overtake us at any moment ; but what kind of a death would it be, 
should it overtake us in the midst of a sinful life ? — How could we 
stand the judgment, if called upon to appear before Christ, our divine 
Judge, contaminated with the abominable sin of impurity ! What a 
terrible eternity awaits us, if we breathe out our soul stained with im- 
purity ! O, while living, frequently descend in thought into hell, and 



Second Day.— Meditation, ill. 



49 



see what the damned suffer there. Consider their never-ending torments. 
What folly, for a momentary pleasure to lose God for all eternity ! 
Often say within yourselves : That which delights is but transitory, 
that which tortures is eternal. These thoughts will keep you in the fear 
of God. 

IV. The frequent reception of the holy Sacraments . 

1. The Sacrament of Penance not only increases sanctifying grace, 
but also imparts special graces for a pious Hfe. It weakens concupis- 
cence, enlivens our zeal for virtue, and gives us strength to overcome 
temptation, especially the temptation of the flesh. Of these graces, we 
become participants as often as we make a good confession. At the same 
time, the priest to whom we reveal the secrets of our hearts, gives us the 
best instructions, and prescribes the most appropriate remedies for over- 
coming temptation. How often persons were in imminent danger of los- 
ing their purity, but, going to confession in good time, the priest suc- 
ceeded in opening their eyes to their danger, and aided them to withdraw 
from the brink of perdition. 

2. Far greater, are the graces of the most holy Sacrament of the Altar. 
In this Sacrament, we receive Jesus Christ himself, the all-holy One, and 
with him the fulness of all grace. This Sacrament, in particular, weakens 
impure desires, and imparts extraordinary strength to mortify the con- 
cupiscence of the flesh, and to live chastely ; wherefore, it is called by 
Zachary "the bread of the elect and the wine that produceth virgins. " 
(Zach. 9 : 17). Hence, spiritual writers recommend nothing so much 
as frequent Communion, since our Saviour himself " hath prepared that 
table against all those who persecute us." {Ps. 22 : 6). A youth ad- 
dicted to the vice of impurity, came, one day, to St. Philip of Neri, and 
made known to him his trouble. The saint said : (i Behold, my son, to 
reveal your sinful thoughts to your confessor is a powerful remedy. A 
temptation disclosed is half overcome. He who has had the misfortune 
to fall into a sin of impurity, must immediately go to confession." The 
young man followed the advice, confessed frequently^ and was soon freed 
from his sinful habit. St. Joseph of Cupertino gives the same advice : " If 
you desire to resist temptation, go frequently to Communion, for where 
God is a frequent guest, his enemies cannot long remain. In due time, 
God always gains the victory ; for, with his grace, he prevails more than 
Satan with all his allurements." Experience corroborates the truth of 
this. Christians, who frequently go to confession and Communion, as a 
rule are chaste and pious. It is, therefore, certainly one of the greatest 
graces afforded to you in religion, that you can often go to confession 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



and Communion. If you avail yourselves of this grace, it is almost im- 
possible for you to commit a sin against holy purity. 

Make frequent use of these means which I have proposed to you for 
the preservation of holy purity. Be always watchful, and guard your 
thoughts, senses, and surroundings, that the spirit of impurity may not ob- 
tain an entrance into your hearts. — Pray fervently, never failing in every 
temptation to call upon God, and to invoke the Blessed Virgin Mary. — 
When sinful thoughts arise in your hearts, look upon Jesus, your Cruci- 
fied Redeemer, reflect upon the truths of our holy religion, especially the 
omnipresence of God, and the four last things, that you may hate and 
detest everything contrary to purity, and preserve yourselves from sin. — 
Finally, always receive the holy Sacraments of Penance and the Blessed 
Eucharist with a heart well prepared ; for, by the frequent reception of 
these Sacraments, you will be enabled to overcome all impure temptations, 
and live chastely. — I conclude with the words of St. John in the 
Apocalypse : " Behold, I come quickly ; hold fast that which thou hast, 
that no one may take thy crown." (Apoc. 3 : n). Yes, the Lord 
will soon come to summon you into eternity. Your life, here below, is 
short and fleeting ; therefore, hold fast to the vow of Chastity, by which 
you have espoused yourselves to Christ, that you may receive the crown 
of immortality which is promised to chaste souls. Amen. 



MEDITATION IV. 

THE VOW OF OBEDIENCE. 

God said to Adam : " Of every tree of paradise, thou shalt eat ; but 
of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat. For in 
what day soever thou shalt eat of it, thou shalt die the death." (Gen. 
2 : 16, 17). Contrary to this strict prohibition, of the Lord, Adam did 
eat of the fruit of that tree. Then, came to pass what God had threat- 
ened. Adam and all his descendants were doomed to spiritual and cor- 
poral death, that is, they lost sanctifying grace, and the right to heaven, 
became subject to many sufferings and tribulations, and finally, to death. 
Thus, disobedience is the fountain-head and source of all evil, both in 
this world, and in the next. In the fulness of time, Jesus Christ appeared 
upon earth. He was obedient to his heavenly Father, as the Apostle 
says, (Phil. 2 : 8), even to the death of the cross, whereby he accom- 
plished the work of our redemption. Obedience, then, is the source of all 



Second Day. — Meditation IV. 



5i 



salvation ; wherefore, the Apostle writes : "As by the disobedience of one 
man, many were made sinners ; so also by the obedience of one, many 
shall be made just." {Rom. 5 : 19). 

Having laid before you, what I thought necessary for your instruction 
in regard to the vows of Poverty and Chastity, I now pass on to the 
third vow, the vow of Obedience. I will show you, 

I. The excellence of the vow of Obedience ; and 

II. The reasons for its strict observance. 

I. The excellence of the vow of Obedience. 

In making the vow of Obedience, you offered to God the greatest, 
noblest, and most perfect of all sacrifices ; for you promised him to do his 
will in all things, as it is manifested to you through your superiors and 
your holy rule. You have done what the Apostle did, who, at the com- 
mand of Jesus : " Follow me" — leaving all things, followed him. You 
have done what millions of people, both male and female, who were so- 
licitous for their salvation, did before you, who, in order to become 
perfect, retired into the desert, and under the guidance of a superior, 
served God, and became saints. You have done what Christ himself 
did, partaking with him of his own supernatural food. " My food," said 
said he to his disciples " is to do the will of him that sent me, that I may 
perfect his work." {John 4 : 34). St. Paul says : " Now, there remain 
faith, hope, and charity, these three, but the greatest of these is charity." 
(/. Cor. 13 : 13). In a similar sense, I can say of the Religious vows: 
Now, there remain Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience, but the great- 
est of these is Obedience. &t. Thomas of Aquino assigns three reasons, 
why Obedience is the most excellent of all the Religious vows : 

1. IV e offer far more to God by the vow of Obedience, than by the other- 
two vows. What do we sacrifice to God by the vow of Poverty ? Our 
riches and worldly substance. He who makes the vow of Poverty, 
gives up whatever temporal goods he possesses, and renounces the de- 
sire of ever again possessing anything, be it little or much. This is, 
without doubt, a great sacrifice offered to God, to disengage one's heart 
from all earthly things. — What sacrifice do we make to God by the vow 
of Chastity ? We offer our body ; we bind ourselves never to marry, 
and to live in perfect continence. This, again, is a great sacrifice, and 
a greater one than that of the vow of Poverty, because the body is a 
more noble and excellent good than gold, silver, and all other earthly 
possessions, and because it is more difficult to live perfectly continent 
and chaste, than to relinquish one's property. — But what do we offer to 



52 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



God by the vow of Obedience ? We offer ourselves, our will and our 
understanding, we sacrifice the whole man, ail that we are and have. 
Even pagans practised poverty and chastity, to which Religious oblige 
themselves by a vow. It requires no consummate virtue to renounce and 
forsake our riches, since those who are only novices in perfection are 
capable of doing that much. Diogenes, Crates, Antisthenes, and other 
heathen philosophers did it before us ; but to offer ourselves to God in 
holy obedience, belongs particularly to Religious. Some heathens prac- 
tised chastity even during their whole life ; for instance, the Vestal vir- 
gins obliged themselves under penalty of death to refrain from all un- 
cleanness. But of obedience, such as Religious must practise, and really 
do practise, we have no examples among heathens, Jews, or non-Catho- 
lics. A Religious who makes the vow of Obedience, sacrifices her will 
and under sta?iding : her- will, for she renounces and relinquishes her 
will entirely, and binds herself unconditionally to do the will of her su- 
periors, and to obey the holy Rule ; to do willingly and cheerfully what 
is commanded, be it hard or light, agreeable or disagreeable to her in- 
clinations ; her understanding, for she does not ask : " Why must I do 
this ? Would it not be better, if I were to do that ?" She obeys with- 
out hesitation, without inquiry, or further investigation, in all things not 
manifestly sinful. From this, you perceive, that obedience is the great- 
est sacrifice you can offer to God, because you have sacrificed your two 
principal faculties : understanding and will. Hence, St. Alphonsus 
truly says : "He who gives his riches to God, and distributes his sub- 
stance to the poor ; he who offers his honor to God, and patiently bears 
contempt ; he who offers his body, and mortifies it by fasting and works 
of penance, gives only a part of himself ; but he who offers his will, 
and subjects himself to obedience, gives all he has ; and he can ex- 
claim : Lord, after having sacrificed to thee my will, I have nothing 
more that I can give to thee !" 

2. The vow of Obedience includes the voivs of Poverty and Chastity, 
whilst these two last-named vows do not include Obedience. He who, on en- 
tering Religion, vows Poverty, by no means vows Obedience, for any one 
can be poor according to his own will, as many Christians in the world, 
who lead a life of poverty without being obliged to it. Again, he who, on 
entering Religion, vows Chastity, does not thereby vow Obedience. Many 
Christians in the world bind themselves never to marry, and to live con- 
tinently. But the case is quite different with Obedience ; the Religious 
vows Poverty and Chastity, or in other words, obliges herself to Poverty 
and Chastity, because Obedience requires this. For, though she bind 
herself by the two distinct vows of Poverty and Chastity, yet these two 
obligations are contained in the vow of Obedience, by which she is 



Second Day. — Meditation IV. 



53 



obliged to observe all that shall be commanded her. Thus, the Bene- 
dictines make no other vow than that of Obedience : " I promise Obe- 
dience according to the rule," say the Benedictines and Carthusians at 
their profession ; and in these words, the vows of Poverty and Chas- 
tity are included. The founder of the Order of the Mother of God, 
the venerable Leonardis, was urgently asked by his disciples to give 
them the rules of the Order. He wrote on a sheet of paper only the 
word "Obedience?' whereby, he wished to indicate, that Poverty, Chastity, 
and all the virtues, which Religious should practise, are contained in Obe- 
dience. Since, then, the vows of Poverty and Cnastity are founded upon 
Obedience, and are included therein, it is evident that St. Bonaventure 
was right, when he said, that the entire perfection of the Religious state 
consists in Obedience. 

3. The vow of Obedience, finally, is the motive stimulating and inducing 
Religioits to perfor?n all their ditties, and to aspire to perfection. Obe- 
dience requires Religious to make a faithful use of the means of grace. It 
prescribes to them, e. g., to mortify themselves interiorly and exteriorly, 
to pray with devotion, to meditate daily on the truths and doctrines of 
our holy religion, to read spiritual books, to examine their consciences, 
and to receive the Sacraments frequently. Now, if they zealously em- 
ploy these means of grace to which Obedience obliges them, it is evident, 
that they are continually advancing on the road to greater virtue and 
sanctity. Again, it is Obedience that commands Religious to practise 
the Christian virtues, and to perform good works. Religious must be 
humble, meek, patient, modest, and retired, because Obedience com- 
mands it ; they must preach, hear confessions, instruct the children, be- 
cause Obedience demands it ; in short, all the good which they do, they 
must do through Obedience. Now, if a Christian is the more perfect and 
holy, the more zealously he practises the Christian virtues and performs 
good works, it is evident that Obedience, which is the motive of virtues and 
good works, leads to sanctity. Finally, Obedience obliges Religious to 
perform many good works which are not commanded, but left to the free 
will of Christians. To this class of good works, belong poverty, refrain- 
ing from matrimony, instruction of youth, nursing the sick, enclosure, 
etc. All these exercises and good works are, again, excellent means of 
Christian perfection, and are particularly pleasing to God, because they 
are founded upon the love of God and of our neighbor. In the lives of 
the Fathers, we read, that one of them, one day, saw two choirs of blessed 
spirits, the one consisting of such as had forsaken the world to retire 
into the solitude of the deserts, and there practise prayer and works 
of austerity ; the other, of such as, for the love of Christ, had devoted 
themselves to Obedience, and followed their superiors' counsel and com- 



54 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



.mands in all things. He saw, that these enjoyed a greater glory than the 
hermits, because, although the latter had faithfully served God by their 
pious exercises, still they had followed their own will, whilst the obe- 
dient had given up their own will, — the most acceptable sacrifice — to God. 
St. Dorotheus relates of his disciple, St. Dositheus, that, being of a very- 
delicate constitution, and unable to rise at midnight, or eat the ordi- 
nary diet, or comply with the ordinary observance of the community, he 
in place of all else, devoted himself to perfect Obedience, entirely re- 
nouncing his own will. At the expiration of five years, he died. God 
revealed to the Abbot, that Dositheus had merited as much as St. Paul 
and St. Anthony, the hermits. The other Religious wondered how 
Dositheus could obtain so great a reward, since he was not equal to 
many of them in the performance of their religious duties. But God 
gave them to understand, that this youth had been so richly rewarded 
on account of his obedience. 

Behold, what an excellent virtue Obedience is, and how much it pleases 
God ! It obliges us to give ourselves to God without reserve, it includes 
the vows of Poverty and Chastity, promotes virtue and good works, and 
conducts us to salvation by the shortest and surest way. What an en- 
couragement for you to observe conscientiously the vow of Obedience ! 

II. The reasons why the vow of Obedience should be observed. 

St. Paul writes : " Obey your prelates, and be subject to them. For 
they ivatch as being to render an account of your souls, that they may do this 
with joy, and 'not with grief : for this is not expedient for you.^ (Heb. 13: 
17). In these words, the Apostle assigns three reasons, or motives, why 
Religious should obey their superiors. 

1. " Obey your prelates . . . For they watch as being to render an 
account of your souls/' What should most comfort and console Relig- 
ious is, that, as long as they obey, they walk in the right path, and do 
not sin. Their superior may err in commanding this or that, but they 
are certain that, in doing what they are commanded, they do not err, 
for God will demand of them an account only of their obedience. 
It is not their responsibility, whether this or that was the proper thing, 
or whether something else would not have been better ; this will be 
put to the account of their superiors. As long as they obey, they can- 
not sin, provided they do nothing directly opposed to the law of God. 
St. Climacus says : " Obedience is an excuse before God. If God 
should ask me : ' Why did you do this ?' I would answer : 1 Because 
I was commanded ; and thereby, I would be perfectly justified before 
him.' " The same saint says : " Obedience is a sure voyage, a way that 



Second Day. — Meditation IV. 



55 



may be travelled sleeping." For, as he who sits, or lies sleeping, in a 
ship, goes forward, and need not trouble himself about the way, to 
which the pilot attends, so a Religious who lives under Obedience, 
without care and trouble, sitting and sleeping, as it were, journeys to- 
wards heaven, for his superior, as pilot of the ship, watches for 
him. 

In order to appreciate the great advantage which Obedience procures 
for you, consider those Christians who live and labor in the world. 
They do a great deal of good, they toil hard and attend to their busi- 
ness, early and late ; they go to Church and hear Mass, they give alms, and^ 
frequently receive the Sacraments, but they do not know, whether what 
they do, is, in every respect, according to the will of God. Now, such 
doubts can never trouble the minds of Religious ; whatever they do is 
good, and according to the will of God, because they do it in obedience; 
and because, in obeying the superiors and the holy Rule, they obey God, 
and do his holy will. For example, Obedience imposes upon you as an 
obligation, the duty of teaching the children in the school. Suppose you 
were not in a religious community, but merely a secular school-teacher. 
Would you not sometimes, — especially, when, notwithstanding all your 
efforts, you accomplished little, or nothing in the school, — -would you 
not, I say, be tempted to doubt, whether you had not missed your 
vocation, and say to yourselves : " Perhaps, I have acted contrary to 
the will of God in choosing the profession of teaching, and on that ac- 
count, God withholds his blessing from me, so that I cannot labor with 
profit" — ? But such doubts, such disquietudes, cannot arise in your 
hearts, Sisters, and if they would arise, they would be entirely groundless, 
because it is not your will, but Obedience, that sends you into the school. 
If, therefore, notwithstanding all your endeavors and good will, you 
accomplish little or nothing, you need not be disquieted in the 
least, for you can say : " My superiors have commanded me to teach 
in the school ; I labor in obedience, leaving the rest to God, who will 
not call me to an account for the success of my labor, but only for the 
willingness of my obedience." What a grace, what a happiness, it is for 
you to live in an Order ! And what an advantage you possess over 
seculars in this regard ! 

2. " Obey your prelates . . . that they may do this {render an ac- 
count ofyoztr souls), with joy, and ?iot with grief." The Apostle commands 
inferiors to obey their superiors, that the latter may the easier bear the 
heavy burden that is laid upon their shoulders, and have no reason to sigh 
under it. It is no easy thing to be a superioress ; she must be solicitous for 
the temporal and spiritual necessities of her inferiors,wherewith manifold 
difficulties are connected. In the administration of her office, she often 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



meets with obstacles which render life disagreeable ; moreover, she 
lives in constant fear of the account she will, one day, have to render of 
her stewardship. But her greatest cross, undoubtedly, are those members 
who refuse to obey. These, by their obstinacy, by their rebellion under 
the best-meant regulations, and by their frivolous violation of the rule, 
frequently cause her such bitter hours, that she would ardently desire 
to be relieved of her office, or be released from her burden by death. 
All Religious should consider this, and obey even through compassion, 
which their superior so much deserves. They should say to themselves : 
u My superior has trouble enough already, her cross is heavy enough. 
I will not make it heavier for her by disobedience. Far be it from me, 
to give her reason to be guilty of impatience, pusillanimity, or any other 
sin, and thus be the cause of her suffering a long time in purgatory !" 
Such, and similar considerations, Sisters, will certainly be more than 
sufficient cause for you always to obey willingly and conscientiously. 

3. " Obey your prelates . . . for this is not expedient for you." 
As graces and blessings follow obedience, so evil consequences follow 
disobedience. Disobedience to the superior is disobedience to God ; 
for the words spoken by Christ to his disciples, concern them : " He 
that heareth you, heareth me ; and he that despiseth you, despisethme. 
And he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me." {Luke 10 : 16). 
Superiors hold the place of God ; every act of disobedience to them is, 
therefore, very sinful, and deserving of punishment. How severely 
God chastises the disobedience of inferiors to their superiors, we see in 
Kora, Dathan, and Abiron. Because they murmured against Moses 
and Aaron, and reproached them with having usurped the government, 
the earth opened and swallowed them, together with their wives and 
children and their tents. Yea, even fire fell from heaven, and consumed 
two hundred and fifty of their adherents. (Numb. 16). Here, St. 
Thomas appropriately remarks, that God punished more severely and 
terribly those who murmured against their superiors, than those who had 
directly and immediately offended him, by falling into idolatry, and 
adoring the Golden Calf. He punished the latter only by the sword, but 
upon the former, fire fell from heaven, the earth opened and devoured 
them. Thereby God gives us to understand, how displeasing to 
him is the least insubordination towards, or rebellion against, his repre- 
sentatives, our superiors, and what severe punishment he inflicts upon 
the disobedient. 

I have not adduced this example, as if I believed you guilty of 
grievous disobedience, or as if I feared, that for the future, you 
would be wanting in the necessary obedience. I am convinced, that 



Third Day. — Meditation I. 



57 



you will faithfully and scrupulously fulfil your vow of Obedience 
as long as you live. I wish only to show you, what an important 
and salutary virtue Obedience is. and how strictly God requires inferiors 
to obey their superiors, and how unfortunate is the condition of those 
who shake off the yoke of Obedience. — This meditation should stimulate 
you to renew your resolution to obey always with alacrity, to take upon 
yourselves willingly the hardships incident to Obedience, to give 
thanks to God daily, for having called you to the Religious state, and 
for having placed you in a situation, where you can practise Obedience 
all the days of your life. Obedience is the ship in which you 
make your voyage to heaven ; it is the key that will open its portals for 
you. Amen. 



THIRD DAY. 



MEDITATION I. 

THE VOW OF OBEDIENCE. 

During the time of Frederick I., emperor of Germany, an imperial 
abbey became vacant. The emperors were accustomed to invest the 
Abbot-elect with the regalia, and to commit to him the temporals. The 
Religious, having proposed two of their brethren, that the emperor might 
choose between them, one, in order to secure the preference, offered a 
large sum of money, which the emperor accepted, promising to choose 
him. Being afterwards informed, however, that the other Religious 
was a very holy man, and a great observer of Religious discipline, he 
changed his resolution, and, as he sought for some excuse to free him- 
self from the engagement he had made, and to choose the worthier man 
of the two, one of his courtiers said to him : " Sire, I have heard that 
these Religious have a rule, which requires every one to carry a sewing- 
needle about his person ; therefore, when you are present at their chap- 
ter, find some pretext to ask him whom you wish to exclude, to lend you 
his needle. As he is not a strict observer of his rules, it is very proba- 
ble he will have none. Having detected him in his fault, you will have 
sufficient reason to exclude him." The emperor followed the advice 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



of his courtier, and, finding that this Religious had no needle about him, 
applied to the other for one. The holy man instantly presented it to 
him. " You are a good Religious," said the emperor, " and deserve to 
be Abbot ; I had resolved to prefer your competitor before you, but he 
has shown himself unworthy of the dignity, by not observing his rule. 
It is very easy to judge, that he who is negligent in little things, will 
be far more so in those that are of importance. ° Forthwith, he chose 
him to be Abbot. Thus, the one was punished for his negligence in not 
observing the rules, and the other, rewarded for his faithful observance 
of them. 

The emperor's judgment was wise and commendable. The good Re- 
ligious is known by the observance of his rule. I shall, therefore, speak 
now of the observance of the rules of your Order, and show you, 

I. That it is the duty of Religious to observe their rules ; and 

II. That there are certain means for the fulfilme?it of this duty. 

I. What a happiness it would be for us, if we knew with certainty, that 
we were of the number of the elect ! How joyfully we could live, and how 
peacefully we could die ! — Such a sign of election, you really have. But 
what, you may ask, is this sign ? It is the conscientious observance of 
the rules of your Order. St. Francis of Sales emphatically declares, that 
the predestination of Religious to eternal salvation, depends upon the ob- 
servance of their rules. In like manner, St. Magdalen of Pazzi says, that 
the observance of the rule is the straightest way to sanctification and 
salvation. — A lay-brother in the monastery of St. Bernard lay danger- 
ously ill. The Abbot spoke to him words of consolation, and exhorted 
him to rejoice, because he would go from this valley of misery and suffer- 
ings into the land of eternal rest. The lay- brother answered with 
great confidence : " Yes, dear Father, I trust in the divine mercy ; for I 
know for certain that I shall soon see God face to face, and enter into 
the joy of the Lord !" St. Bernard, perceiving this certainty of the pa- 
tient, was alarmed, for he feared it was presumption. He, therefore, rep- 
rimanded him, saying : "What do you say, dear brother, you were so 
poor that you had nothing to eat ; God who loves you, conducted you 
hither, where you have wanted nothing ; and now, instead of being thank- 
ful for his benefits, you demand his kingdom, as something belonging to 
you by right !" " Dear Father," replied the brother, " what you say is 
very true, but have you yourself not often preached, that the kingdom 
of heaven is gained not by riches and nobility, but by obedience ? These 
words which you have so often repeated, I have deeply engraved on my 
heart, and I have never failed to obey all who had a right to command 
me, as all who are in the monastery can testify. Why should I not ex- 



Third Day. —Meditation. I. 



.59 



pect with confidence, what you have promised me in the name of God ?" 
This answer quieted the holy Abbot in a wonderful manner, and often 
afterwards, he quoted these words to his monks, in order to show that 
the faithful observance of the rule is a mark of election. 

The worst is, consequently, to be feared for Religious who do not ob- 
serve the rules ; they are in danger of being rejected. Whilst it is true, 
that all rules do not oblige under guilt of sin, still, frequent breaches of 
them lead to lukewarmness, (which is the forerunner of grievous sins), 
to spiritual blindness and impenitence, and finally, to eternal damnation. 
On the Last Day, we shall see that thousands of Religious will stand on 
the left side of the divine Judge, and be condemned by him to everlast- 
ing fire, on account of the violation of their rules. Many Religious are 
blind enough to excuse the transgression of the rules, and represent it 
as a harmless thing. It will, therefore, be expedient for me to mention 
some of these excuses and pretexts, and briefly to demonstrate their fal- 
lacy. 

i. 1 transgress only very insignificant rules> on the observance of which 
the advancement of a Religious does not depend. — I reply : No rule 
is insignificant ; all are approved by the Church as means of perfection, 
and the frequent transgression of the rule renders discipline lax, and 
brings confusion into a community. St. Alphonsus Liguori says : " It 
is certain, that those monasteries are fervent, in which account is made 
of small things, and that where the rules are not observed even in the 
least things, the spirit is either already lost, or will be lost by degrees." 
Father Oviedo, superior of a Jesuit house at Naples, was very solicitous 
for the observance of the rules even in the smallest matters, but Father 
Bobadilla resisted him, thinking that it was not becoming to molest the 
inferiors because of such trifling things, and thus, he was the cause of 
the original discipline being relaxed. What was the result ? Gradually, 
the fervor of some grew so cold, that they observed neither important 
nor unimportant rules, and finally, left the Order, and returned to the 
world. When St. Ignatius heard of it, he commanded all the rules to 
be strictly observed, whereby the discipline of the Order was re-estab- 
lished. 

It is an undeniable fact, that God, by degrees, withdraws his grace from 
Religious who lightly transgress small rules, so that, becoming cold in 
their spiritual exercises, such as prayer, meditation, spiritual reading, and 
the reception of the Sacraments, they derive no benefit from them. God 
deals with us as we deal with him ; wherefore, the Psalmist says : " With 
the holy.thou, O God ! wilt be holy ; and with the innocent man, thou wilt 
be innocent ; and with the elect, thou wilt be elect." — Finally, we must 
not lose sight of the fact, that the devil records even the least violations 



6o 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



of the rule, and on the Last Day, will make them the subject of his ac- 
cusation. St. Alphonsus Liguori says : " The devil writes down the 
words spoken in forbidden places and at forbidden times, all froward 
looks, and other violations of the rule, of which careless Religious render 
themselves guilty." Sister?, you perceive how fallacious is the excuse : 
I violate only small rules, such as are of no importance. 

2. The rules which I violate, do not bind under pain of si?i. This ex- 
cuse is as groundless as the former. Granting that a rule does not by 
itself bind under pain of sin, still, all Divines say that the violation of 
the least rule, if there is insufficient reason for so doing, is at least 
a venial sin. And this, for the following reasons : 

First, because Religious who transgress the rule, do not avail them- 
selves of the means of sanctification, — of that sanctification to which they 
are bound to aspire ; 

Secondly, because they do not keep the vow which they have made 
to God, to observe the rule ; 

Thirdly, because by their bad example, they disturb the good order 
and discipline of the community ; and 

Fourthly, because by the violation of each rule, they follow their self- 
will and self-love, in opposition to the will of God. 

But, some one may say : It is, at least, no mortal sin. — To such an one, 
I say, that she is in a dangerous condition, and that, if she is not yet spir- 
itually dead, she is certainly not far from it. Such an unhappy one is 
infected with a malignant fever, which will soon be followed by death. 
—St. Alph. Lig. 

3. / am in the convent a long time ; there is, therefore, no necessity 
for me to be so exact in the observance of the rules. — What a senseless ex- 
cuse ! Are not all Christians, and especially Religious, bound to become 
more and more perfect, according to the words of Christ : " Be you per- 
fect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect" — ? {Matt. 5 : 48.) Can it 
be called aspiring to perfection, if Religious, the older they become, 
and the longer they are in the monastery, become the more careless in the 
observance of the rules, and, as it were, assume the privilege of being al- 
lowed to violate them ! Is not this retrogression, instead of progression, 
which results in lukewarmness ? But, what is more to be considered, is the 
injurious influence which the bad example of the older Religious exer- 
cises on the younger. " The old Religious are," as St. Alphonsus Liguori 
says, " the torches which give light to the whole community ;" they are 
the pillars who support good discipline, and draw the younger ones after 
them. But, if the younger Sisters see, that the older ones set little value 
on the rule, they surely will make still less account of it. The de- 



Third Day. — Meditation I. 



6 1 



cline and fall of monasteries is to be attributed generally not to the neg- 
ligence of the younger, but of the older Religious, who by their bad ex- 
ample have led others to abandon the strict observance of the rule. The 
longerone is in theconvent, the more solicitous she should be to observe 
the rule, — partly, in order to make great progress in the way of virtue, 
and be able to render an account of the many graces which she has re- 
ceived in the Order, and partly, in order to edify her companions inRelig- 
ion, especially the younger members, and by her good example, stimu- 
late them to zeal in the service of God. 

4. / do not seek permissions as prescribed by the rule, in order not to 
become troublesome to my superiors. — This excuse, too, is absolutely 
groundless ; for superiors, far from being displeased when one goes to 
them to ask permission for anything, are very much pleased thereat, and, 
often, greatly edified. How could they feel displeased or disturbed, know- 
ing as they do, that inferiors are forbidden to do this or that without per- 
mission ? Therefore, ask your superior's permission in all things where 
the rule requires it, and if they should refuse you, do not on that ac- 
count become angry and discontented, but always subject yourself with- 
out contradiction to their decision, and be perfectly satisfied. He who 
is in a ship, is thankful to the pilot, and glad to see him solicitous that 
all the sailors should do their duty ; for, if he would not maintain good 
order and discipline, the people in the ship might be in danger of per- 
ishing. It is true, the rules are a burden, but a burden whereby we 
ascend to God. St. Augustine says : " The Lord would not give you 
the golden chain of eternal glory, if he had not before fettered you 
with the chains of the holy rule." 

These, Sisters, are the common excuses by which many seek to justify 
the violation of their rules. As I have briefly shown you, they are en- 
tirely groundless, and only too plainly prove that Religious who make 
them have either lost the spirit of the Order, or are not far from losing 
it. May such excuses never be heard from your lips ! 

II. Certain means which contribute greatly to the exact observance of 
the rules. 

In as few words as possible, I shall give you a summary of these means, 
extracted from many spiritual writers, but especially, from St. Alphon- 
sus Liguori. 

1. Read your rules frequently, once a month, or at I east ^ four times a 
year, in order to imprint them more deeply on your memory ; and at the 
same time, examine yourselves, whether, and how, you have hitherto ob- 



62 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



served them. The frequent reading of your rules will be of great ad- 
vantage to you ; you can, thereby, compare your conduct in the past with 
the rule of your Order. Humble yourselves before God, if your con- 
science tells you, that in this or that point, you have violated the rules, 
and make good resolutions of amendment. 

2. At your daily examination of conscience, but especially, before confes- 
sion, ask yourselves if you have observed the rules. If you find, that in 
any way, you have transgressed them, make an act of contrition and a 
firm resolution for the future. Be not ashamed to accuse yourselves to 
your superiors of your non-observance of the rule, and ask them with 
a sincere heart, to give you a penance. You must not do as those who 
accuse themselves of their faults with a semblance of humility and ex- 
actness in the observance of the rule, but who are not willing to receive 
a penance or a reprimand. — The devil once acknowledged to St. Dom- 
inic, that, at the general manifestation of the Religious, when they make 
known their faults, and receive a reprimand or penance for them, he 
lost all that he had gained elsewhere in the monastery. 

3. Imagine, that you have fust entered into the Religious state. It is a 
common but true adage : "A new broom sweeps clean." Usually, at 
the assumption of an office, every one is exact and punctual. A novice 
is generally fervent in the performance of all her duties, whilst it not un- 
frequently happens, that after awhile, her zeal decreases, and she no 
longer fulfils her duties so exactly. I believe, there is scarcely one who, 
at her entrance into Religion, was not full of good resolutions and of holy 
zeal, and who was not most solicitous to observe the rule promptly and 
scrupulously, even in the least things. In order to prevent you from 
relaxing in your first fervor and fidelity to the rule, I would ad- 
vise you, at your morning prayers, to say daily to yourselves : I will 
conduct myself to-day as on the first day of my entrance into the Order; 
and with thy grace, O God, I will scrupulously observe all the rules ! — I 
assure you, if you do this daily, it will greatly contribute to your exact 
observance of all your obligations. 

4. Imagine, that this is your last day in the convent, and that you may 
die this very flight. Who would not be solicitous to live in the best and 
most perfect manner, the last day of one's life ? Who would not carefully 
guard against every fault, if she had to say to herself : " After the set- 
ting of to-day's sun, I shall stand before the judgment-seat of God, to 
give an account of all my thoughts, words, and actions. On that account, 
my whole eternity will depend !" — Let me urgently admonish you then, 
to make every morning a resolution to spend the day, as if it were the 
last of your life. You will then spend it well, and conscientiously ob- 



Third Day. — Meditation I. 



63 



serve all your rules ; and when the last day of your life shall have really 
come, you will experience much consolation, and appear without fear 
before Christ, your Judge, whom, by the exact observance of the holy rule, 
you have made your Friend. 

5, Think, finally, of the people living in the world, and, if I may say so, of 
the rules which they, in their state and particular circu?nsta?tces of life, must 
■observe. These rules are far more difficult to observe than the rule of 
an Order. — Many a married man is obliged to work hard, early and 
late, in heat and in cold, the whole year round, in order to procure for 
himself and family, scanty subsistence. Where is there a conven- 
tual rule which commands anything so difficult ? — Many a married wo- 
man has little children who give her no rest, day or night. When 
she sits down to eat, a child begins to cry, and she must interrupt her 
meal to pacify it. If she wishes to pray, again, it is the children that dis- 
turb and annoy her, so that she can scarcely recite an Our Father. The 
year has three hundred and sixty-five nights, and among these, 
there are but few in which her rest is not broken by rising to 
quiet a crying child. Where, I ask again, is there a rule of any Order 
that requires such sacrifices ? — There, is a poor man who is no better off 
than Lazarus mentioned in the Gospel ; he is weak, sick, unable to earn 
anything ; he would be satisfied with a piece of bread to stay his hun- 
ger, but no one gives it to him ; he almost perishes from misery. I ask 
once more : Where is there a rule of any. Order, which makes such rigid 
demands upon its members ? Now, when seculars have to endure so 
much, can it be difficult for Religious to do what their rule requires of 
them, especially, when they consider, that by the faithful and prompt 
observance thereof they can merit heaven ? 

Renew your resolution to observe your rules with the greatest con- 
scientiousness. Consider the words of St. Alphonsus Liguori : " The 
only way for Religious to become holy, and to be saved, is to observe 
their rules. No other way will lead them to their final destiny." Ob- 
serve your rule, in great and small things ; nothing is little or insig- 
nificant which is a venial sin, which leads to lukewarmness, and, more or 
less, imperils your immortal soul. Everything, even the most insigni- 
ficant, which pleases God and merits for us recompense in heaven, is im- 
portant. If it is sometimes necessary for you to do violence to your- 
selves, in order to observe the rules, do not forget, that the kingdom of 
heaven suffers violence, and only the violent bear it away. Think of 
the Saints, who have made so many sacrifices, in order to work out their 
salvation ; and encourage yourselves to take up and bear courageously 
the little hardships incident to the exact observance of the rule, mindful 
of the admonition of the Lord : " Take my yoke upon you . . . 
and you shall find rest to your souls." {Matt, n : 29, 30). Amen. 



64 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



MEDITATION II. 

THE VOW OF OBEDIENCE. 

It is a well-known phenomenon in nature, that the shadow of a body 
follows it, whithersoever the latter may move. It always accommodates 
itself to the body, even as a servant is perfectly obedient to his master. 
— Sisters, you should follow the will of your superiors in all tnings as 
implicitly and willingly as the shadow follows the body. As often as you 
see your shadow, you should call to mind your duty of obedience, and 
make the resolution to comply with this obligation conscientiously, and 
at all times. — We have already made two meditations on Obedience ; let 
us cast another glance at this important virtue, and consider the four 
degrees by which we should ascend to perfection therein. 

First Degree. 

We should obey promptly. 

The first degree of Obedience is to obey promptly, to do what Obe- 
dience prescribes, without delay or hesitation. Why should we obey 
quickly ? For the simple reason, that the commands of superiors are the 
ordinances of God, — superiors, holding the place of God. Who would 
not quickly execute what God commands ? The rule of the Order must 
also be obeyed as promptly as the commands of the superiors, because, 
being approved of by the Church, it is according to the will of God. 
" A truly Religiousman," says St. Bernard. " does not know what it is to 
delay, or put off till to-morrow ; he is an enemy of all kinds of demurs ; 
he anticipates his superior in all his commands. His eyes and ears 
are always open to the least sign given him, and all his other senses 
faithfully follow the beck of his superior. He does what he is bid, 
goes where he is commanded, and is always ready to receive and execute 
any order, in obedience." — When the good Religious hears the rising- 
bell in the morning, she does not turn over to sleep a little longer, but 
immediately rises, in obedience to the voice of God. And whatever 
else she is commanded to do, she makes no objections, manifests no 
unwillingness, or sullen silence, but with a pleasant countenance 
answers : "Behold, I am ready !" — and, without delay, goes to execute 
the order. To move her to obedience, it is not necessary to importune 
her for any length of time,to repeat the command, or to threaten her with 



Third Day. — Meditation II. 



65 



punishment ; no, a truly obedient person needs only to hear in order to 
obey. 

Prompt obedience is very pleasing to God, and is richly rewarded by 
him. — The holy Religious, Markus, was engaged in writing, when he 
was called by his Abbot, Silvanus. To comply with the call of Obe- 
dience, he did not finish the word ; he had made but one letter, and so 
he left it. When he returned, he found the entire word written in let- 
ters of gold. — Our Saviour himself once appeared to another Religious, 
in the shape of a little child ; he had no sooner come, than the bell rang 
for Vespers. The Religious at once responded to the call, leaving the 
Infant Jesus alone. At his return, he found him still in his cell, and 
was consoled by these words of his divine Guest : " Your going was 
the cause of my stay ; if you had remained, I should have gone." — We 
are told of another Religious, who, being favored with like apparitions, 
left the Infant Jesus to comply with Obedience ; and at his return to his 
cell, found him in the form of a young man. Christ said to him : "Be- 
hold, how much I have grown since you left me ! Just as much have I 
also grown in your soul, because of your prompt obedience !" — St. Co- 
lumba, in order to try the obedience of some of his monks who were sick, 
one day, went to the infirmary, and said to them : "Get up at once, all of 
you, and thresh the wheat !" The truly obedient immediately went to 
work, but the others, who were still weak in obedience, remained in 
their beds. Now, those who were obedient, immediately recovered 
their health, whilst the others remained sick as before. Thus, God re- 
wards prompt and implicit obedience. We need not wonder at this ; 
for he who promptly obeys, does what the Apostles did, who, upon the 
words of Christ : "Follow me !" immediately left all, and followed 
Jesus, receiving for their prompt obedience a great reward, and the 
promise of a great honor from their Master, who said to them : tl You 
shall sit on twelve seats, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." {Matt. 19 : 

28). 

On the contrary, God is very much displeased with any delay or hesi- 
tancy in obedience ; and not unfrequently, punishes such faults in a visi- 
ble manner. — • Blessed Juniper was once called by St. Francis, while in 
the act of planting a juniper tree ; he did not obey immediately, but set 
the plant he had in his hand, and then went. In order to make him 
understand his fault, St. Francis cursed the«juniper tree, and command- 
ed it, in the name of God, never to grow any taller, whereupon, it really- 
remained stunted ever after. 

(Examples of prompt obedience : Samuel and Abraham.) 



Beware of delay in your obedience. Adopt the principle of execu- 



66 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



ting immediately the commands of your superiors. Do also promptly 
what the rule prescribes : rise, retire, pray, work, rest, keep silence, 
eat and drink at the times prescribed by the rule. Only in cases of 
absolute disability, are you excused from executing obedience on the in- 
stant. Be, therefore, like the shadow, which^always accommodates it- 
self to our bodies ; and follow without delay, your superiors' com- 
mands. 

Second Degree. 

We should obey exactly. 

Exact Obedience requires that we do all, 

1. Carefully^ that is, as well as we can. — We are in the service of 
God ; whatever we do, we must do because God wills it. Now, since 
an earthly lord demands, that his orders be carefully executed, how 
much more will the Lord of lords demand that we diligently serve him ! 
How displeasing to him are all carelessness and negligence in his ser- 
vice, the Prophet tells us in these words : " Cursed be he who doeth 
the work of the Lord deceitfully, (carelessly)." {Jer. 48 : 10). Many 
Religious fail in this respect ; they are punctual and diligent in the pres- 
ence of their superiors, but in their absence, they obey their orders in 
a very imperfect manner, so that it is doubtful whether they do not de- 
serve punishment, rather than reward. Here, I call your attention to 
the lesson which St. Paul gives to servants, when he writes : " Servants, 
obey your carnal masters, with fear and trembling, in the simplicity of 
your heart, as Christ : not serving to the eye, as it were, pleasing men, 
but, as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. 
With a good will, doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men." (£ph. 6: 
5-8). Look upon yourselves always as servants of God, and let it be 
a matter of indifference to you, whether you are watched or not, re- 
ported or not to your superiors. Labor for God's sake, and for his 
love, with diligence and fervor. 

2. Without studious interpretation. — You must do everything in the 
way it is commanded, without comment. The Scribes and Pharisees 
interpreted the law of God according to their own ideas, and explained 
it until they had explained away what did not agree with their inclina- 
tions and passions. Far be it from Religious to do this ! They 
should faithfully and scrupulously execute whatever is commanded, 
without daring to interpret and explain it according to their own 
ideas. While St. Thomas of Aquino was at Bologna, a lay-brother 
from another monastery arrived, who, being called out on some 
very important business, obtained permission from the Prior, to take 
the first he would meet for his companion. It happened, that 



Third Day. — Meditation. II. 



6 7 



he met St. Thomas, whom he told to accompany him out of obedience. 
The saint instantly obeyed, but when he was unable to keep pace 
with his companion's rapid steps, the lay-brother requested him to has- 
ten, because the business was urgent. When the poor brother afterwards 
discovered whom he had been hurrying along so unceremoniously, he 
asked his pardon several times, but the saint was far from being dis- 
pleased with him. St. Thomas might easily have imagined, that the 
permission obtained from the Prior did not refer to him, but no, he 
obeyed without contradiction, without interpretation, and even said to 
him who thought that he should have excused himself, that a Religious 
must pay no attention to anything, save that which obliges him to Obe- 
dience. Cassian relates a still more remarkable example. One day, the 
Abbot John sent two young men with a basket of figs to a monk who 
lived far away, telling them to give the fruit to the monk. Having miss- 
ed their way, they wandered about in the desert for several days, with- 
out having anything to eat. Now, they could have easily imagined 
that, in such extreme necessity, they were privileged to eat the figs des- 
tined for the aged monk, without any violation of Obedience, but they 
did not eat them, and after a few days, they were found dead beside 
the basket full of figs. — I do not say, that Obedience must always be ob- 
served slavishly to the letter, and that it is not allowable to act even 
contrary to the will of the superior in cases where it is necessary by 
some higher law, or where it is plain, the superior would surely have 
commanded otherwise, had certain important circumstances been known 
to him : on the other hand, I do say, that certain shrewd interpretations 
do not differ much from formal disobedience. As often as you are not 
sure that the superior will excuse you from obedience in a certain case, 
you must obey, and do what is commanded. St. Thomas even goes 
further, and says, that our knowledge of the superior's will is a tacit or- 
der, and our performance of it, a proof of perfect obedience. This is 
the obedience at which you must aim, because your superiors do not 
always expressly command you, being desirous to act towards you with 
mildness, and not cause you mortification, in case you would not relish 
the command. Then, if you know that your superior desires to have a 
certain thing done, you should not wait for her command, but anticipate 
it, by offering yourselves to perform what she in her heart wishes you to 
do. 

Third Degree. 

We should obey with joy. 

Another quality of religious Obedience, is alacrity. " God loveth 
a cheerful giver." (//. Cor. 9 : 7). — Hence, St. Bernard says : " If, 
•on receiving a command, you murmur against your superior, the 



68 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



work, though performed exteriorly, is of no virtue, but a mantle for your 
malice, for you only obey, that you may be considered obedient ; where- 
as, in reality, you sin, because, in your heart, you despise the command 
of Obedience." " What a pity it is," says St. Alphonsus Liguori, "to see 
some Religious do cheerfully and willingly what they themselves desire ; 
and who assume only those offices in which their self-love is gratified. 
Truly obedient Religious fulfil with greater joy the orders least pleasing 
to their inclinations, because they have then a greater certainty of not 
doing their own will, but the will of God. All zealous Religious give 
ycu the most beautiful examples of this. — St. Seraphim, a lay-brother of 
the Order of the Capuchins, was, one day, commanded to put on a new 
habit, and to go out on a collecting tour. What could be more strange 
and painful than this command, to one who was accustomed to wear an 
old, tattered habit, and to esteem it as a purple cloak ! He obeyed, 
however, without a word of contradiction, and when the people jesting- 
ly congratulated him, he smilingly replied : " Should I. then, be always 
in rags and tatters, and never creep out ?" The superior, afterwards al- 
lowed him to return to his old garments. — The pious monk, Jacob, 
understood the art of staining glass, that is, of painting pictures on glass, 
which, in order to render their colors permanent and brilliant, had to be 
put into the oven. He had, one day, just placed a beautiful picture in 
the oven, when his superior, to try his obedience, ordered him to go into 
the city to collect alms. Jacob knew that hi picture would be ruined 
if he would go away and leave it in the oven, but, without saying a word, 
he immediately set off to execute what he had been commanded. 
Having collected the alms, and brought them into the monastery, he 
went to the oven to look after the picture, and behold, it was as beauti- 
ful and perfect as could be desired ! 

Here, you have a few instances, showing how readily and cheerfully 
all zealous Religious obeyed the commands of their superiors. Fol- 
low their example. Can there be a greater pleasure than to be able to 
say tc one's self, while performing a work : " By doing this, I shall 
please God'' — ? Adhere to the beautiful rule which St. Francis of Sales 
has given in regard to Obedience : " Desire nothing, and refuse 
nothing." 

Fourth Degree. 
Our obedience must be blind. 

St. Ignatius says, that, as there are two ways to salvation in the 
Church Militant, an ordinary one, which consists in the observance of 
the Commandments, and which concerns all Christians, — and another, 
which pertains to Religious in particular, viz : the practice of the Evan- 



Third Day. — Meditation II. 



gelical Counsels, in addition to the observance of the Commandments : 
so, in like manner, there are two kinds of Obedience in Religion, the com- 
mon and imperfect, and the perfect, in which latter, the strength of Obe- 
dience and the perfect virtue of the Religious exhibit themselves. — Im- 
perfect Obedience, says he, has eyes to see to its own advantage. The per- 
fect is blind ; but in this blindness, consists its wisdom. The first, in- 
wardly questions every command ; the other, obeys without reasoning 
upon any point. The former is always more inclined to one thing than 
to another, and is never indifferent concerning any matter ; the latter is 
always equally disposed to the different things that may be commanded. 
The first complies exteriorly, by executing the orders given, but resists 
interiorly. Therefore, he disobeys in the heart, and his act does not de- 
serve the name of Obedience at all. The second not only does what is 
commanded, but submits both will and understanding to the will and 
understanding of the superior. He does not seek reasons for Obedience, 
nor does he permit himself to be guided by those reasons which offer 
themselves spontaneously. The bare consideration of the superior's 
command, is the only motive of such Obedience. 

This, then, is that blind Obedience, which the Saints and spiritual 
writers so constantly recommend to us, and of which they have left us 
such great examples of their own practice. When they call this Obe- 
dience blind they do not mean an indiscriminate submission to everything 
commanded, whether it be sinful or not, for this would be a great error ; 
but they mean, that it obeys absolutely and directly, with holy simplicity 
of heart, believing the superior's command to be according to the law 
of God, and making that command itself the motive and reason of Obe- 
dience. — Cassian calls this, an Obedience without discussion or exam- 
ination, for it performs simply what is commanded, and does not ques- 
tion, why it is commanded. 

This perfect Obedience is an obligation for all Religious ; for, by the 
vow of Obedience, they bind themselves to make a sacrifice of their 
will and understanding. Hence, the great servant of God, Father Pa- 
vone, of the Society of Jesus, says : " That Obedience may be perfect 
it must walk with two feet, /. e. y with the will and with the understand- 
ing ; if we obey with the will alone, and not with the understanding, so 
that we think differently from the superior, such an Obedience is not 
perfect, but lame." In like manner, St. Magdalen of Pazzi says : 
" Obedience, to be perfect, requires a soul without a will, and a will 
without judgment." He who does not obey without previously passing 
judgment on the case, will hardly obey with cheerfulness, and his obe- 
dience will be more servile than childlike. Some Religious will, indeed, 
obey, but desire, at the same time, to see whether what is commanded 
them, is useful or hurtful to them ; and, judging afterwards for them- 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



selves, they either resist the command, or obey reluctantly : yea, they 
sometimes even accuse their superiors of want of understanding, of impru- 
dence, or of partiality. This is the result of not obeying blindly. — Let 
ns hear a few examples of blind Obedience : St. Ignatius frequently 
said, that if his Holiness should command him to embark in the first 
vessel he found at Ostia, and to put out to sea without mast, sail, oars, 
helm, or any other thing necessary for a voyage, or for the maintenance 
of his life, he would immediately obey, not only without uneasiness or 
repugnance, but with great interior satisfaction. A person of rank hear- 
ing him say this, told him, there would be no prudence in such an ac- 
tion. "Prudence," replied the saint, " is more necessary for him who 
•commands, than for him who obeys in simplicity of heart." — St. John, 
surnamed the Little, was commanded, by his superior, to plant the staff 
which he had in his hand in dry soil, and to water it every day till it 
would bear fruit. In the simplicity of his heart, the disciple obeyed, al- 
though the brook from which he had to draw the water was very far 
off. After he had watered it for three years, without a word of contra- 
diction, the staff took root, and brought forth fruit, which the aged her- 
mit plucked, and brought into the Church, saying to his brethren : 
" Take ye, and eat the fruit of obedience." — St. Francis commanded 
some of his brethren to plant cabbage-plants with the head down and 
the roots up ; and he ordered brother Matthew to walk around in a cir- 
cle, until he became dizzy, and fell to the ground. — St. Alphonsus of Li- 
guori here asks : " What is the use of all these things ?" and he replies : 
*' Of what use is it to make young horses first run, then stand still, now 
go backward, now forward, — and that, without any necessity ? " It 
serves to render them obedient to the bridle. So, also, it serves to ex- 
ercise inferiors in things which appear to them wrong and foolish ; it 
serves to accustom them to break their will, and to submit their judg- 
ment to Obedience. 

This is the Obedience which you have vowed. You must obey 
promptly, exactly, cheerfully, and blindly. Your vow requires this. If 
you obey in such a manner, it is the best and most precious sacrifice which 
you can offer to God, — a sacrifice which is of greater value and merit 
than prayer, meditation, fasting, works of mercy, and miracles, nay, 
even martyrdom itself. Practise this Obedience, that you may show 
yourselves worthy followers of Christ, who humbled himself, becoming 
obedient unto death, even unto the death of the cross. ( Phil. 2:8). 
Endeavor, by your Obedience, to be an example of edification to the 
whole community, the consolation of your superiors, the joy of the An- 
gels and Saints. By these four steps, you will ascend the steep way of 
Christian virtue and perfection, and obtain the never-fading crown of 
glory. Amen. 



Third Day. — Meditation III. 



71 



MEDITATION III. 

PEACE. 

You know from the Bible history, how much Abraham loved peace. 
"A strife had arisen between the herdsmen of Abraham and those of 
Lot, on account of the pasturage ; they both had flocks of sheep and 
herds of cattle, and the land was not able to support their joint stock. 
Abraham therefore said to Lot : Let there be no quarrel, I beseech 
thee, between me and thee, and between my herdsmen and thy herds- 
men : for we are brethren. Behold, the whole land is before thee : 
Depart from me, I pray thee : if thou wilt go to the left hand, I will 
take the right ; if thou choose the right hand, I will pass to the left. 
And Lot chose to himself the country about the Jordan, and he departed 
from the east : and they were separated one brother from the other." 

Sisters, I would wish you all the peacefulness of Abraham, for there 
is no condition more necessary to you and to your Order, than that of 
peace. May God grant, that in the present Retreat, you will make ear- 
nest resolutions to become peaceful Sisters, and always preserve peace in 
your midst ! 

Let us, therefore, make a meditation on Peace, and consider, 

I. Why you should keep peace ; 

II. How you can keep peace. 

I. I shall propose for your consideration only a few reasons, why you 

should keep peace among you. 

1. Peace is the most precious good which man can possess here be- 
low. 

There are many valuable things upon earth, such as gold, silver, dia- 
monds, pearls, and precious stones, besides many other things which 
possess great value in the eyes of men, but there is one thing, which by 
far excels all the precious treasures of earth, and that is — Peace. For 
peace is the foundation of contentment, and where contentment dwells, 
man has all that he desires, and is happy. Through contentment, the 
poorest hut becomes a paradise of delights ; without it, the palace of a 
prince is a hell. — Crcesus, a rich and powerful prince of Lydia, once asked 
a philosopher to say, whom he considered the happiest man upon 



72 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



•earth. He was astonished, that the wise man did not pronounce him, but a 
very poor, unknown dweller in a hut, to be the happiest man. " That poor 
man," said he, "is happier upon his straw pallet, than thou, O king, on 
thy luxurious couch. The angel of peace who keeps loving watch at 
his bedside? is not found in your palace !" Such was the judgment of 
a pagan. Peace, therefore, is the beginning of all happiness ; discord, 
the end of it. Hell would cease to be hell, if strife and discord could 
be banished from it ; and the Saints in heaven would no longer be hap- 
py, if they were deprived of peace. 

When the Sacred Scripture says something consoling of the depart- 
ed souls of the just, it declares that they are in peace ; {Wis. 3 : 3), 
and when we desire some great good to our deceased brethren and sis- 
ters, we pray : " May the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace !" 
Thus, numberless times, our holy Mother the Church prays at every 
funeral, at every Requiem, and at every function for the benefit of the 
departed : " Eternal rest grant to them, O Lord, and let perpetual light 
shine upon them!" But she prays for the gift of peace for the living, 
as well as for the departed. At holy Mass, when the priest says : 
" Glory to God in the highest," he immediately adds : "And peace to 
men on earth." Just before the Elevation, the priest prays : " Order 
our days in peace," and immediately after the Pater JVoster, he prays 
again : "Grant us, O Lord, . . . peace in our days ;" and, after 
the Agnus Dei : " Grant us peace." The Church well knows that she 
can ask of God nothing better for her children than the gift of peace- 

2. Peace is a good which Jesus Christ desires and loves in a particular 
?na?iner. He was announced as the Prince of Peace by the Prophets. 
Thus, Isaias (9 : 6, 7) says of him ; " A child is born to us ; and a 
son is given to us ; and the government is upon his shoulders : and his 
name shall be called, Wonderful, Counsellor, God the Mighty ; the 
Father of the world to come, the Prince of Peace. His empire shall be 
multiplied ; and there shall be no end of peace '." And Zachary says 
(6 : 10) : "He shall speak peace to the Gentiles.", When the Son of 
God became man, peace reigned supreme upon the whole earth. The 
temple of Janus ( so named, in honor of Janus, the god of war), was 
closed for the first time in many centuries, and the Romans, the conquer- 
ors of the (then) known world, were at peace with all nations. How 
much, then, must Christ love peace, when he would not become incar- 
nate until the world was enjoying a universal peace ? And what was it 
that he announced at his very entrance into the world ? Nothing other 
than peace, for thus, sang the Angels on Bethlehem's plains : " Glory 
to God in the highest : and on earth, peace to men of good will." 
{Luke 2 : 14). How often during his earthly career, did he not repeat 



Third Day. — Meditation III. 73 

the words : " Peace be with you." — ! He bade his Apostles wish peace 
to all whose houses they should enter, saying : " When you come into 
a house, salute it, saying : Peace to this house." To this very day, the 
priest speaks these words, when he goes to administer the Sacraments 
to the sick or dying. As soon as he crosses the threshold of the house, he 
says these words : " Peace be to this house, and to all that dwell there- 
in !" Now, when Christ, who, as the Apostle says, " loved us, and de- 
livered himself for us as a sacrifice," appeared as a Prince of Peace, 
and commanded his Apostles to wish peace to men, and when our holy 
Mother, the Church, so frequently prays to God for peace for her chil- 
dren, both living and dead, what can be better or more desirable than 
peace ? — 

3. Peace makes us children of 

(a) God the Father. If we sincerely love one another, and live to- 
gether in undisturbed peace, God, our heavenly Father, looks down 
upon us with great pleasure, loves us as a father loves his children, and, 
in a certain sense, applies to each one of us, the words which he spoke 
long ago of his only-begotten Son : " This is my beloved Son, in whom 
I am well pleased. " {Matt. 3: 17)- 

(b) Peace makes us children of God the Son, our Lord and Redeemer, 
the great Prince of Peace, who, as the Apostle says, coming, preached 
peace to those who were afar off, and peace to them who were near at 
hand, and through whom, we have access to the Father, {Ephes. 2 : 17, 
18), and who called the peacemakers blessed. {Matt. 5 : 9). 

(V) Peace makes us children of God the Holy Ghost, who, being the Spirit 
of peace and charity, takes special pleasure in those who love peace ; 
and as the Dispenser of graces, takes possession of them, and dwells in 
them permanently. If there is any virtue which rejoices the heart of 
God, and draws down upon man his favors and graces, it is peace. — St. 
Macarius the Elder led a very austere and mortified life in the desert 
for sixty years. He usually ate only once a week ; at the same time, he 
practised all the virtues with indefatigable zeal, so that in each, he ac- 
quired a great degree of perfection. Yet, whilst God himself gave testi- 
mony to his holiness, by imparting to him the gift of miracles, he, one day, 
revealed to him, that he had not attained to the perfection of two mar- 
ried women in a certain town. Thereupon, the Saint visited them, to 
learn the means by which they sanctified themselves. Upon examina- 
tion, he found in their conduct nothing very extraordinary, except that 
they had lived together in one house for twenty years without ever hav- 



74 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



ing had any strife or quarrel. Learn from this, what a great good peace 
is, and how much God wishes that you should always live in peace and har- 
mony with one another. If you do this, you shall attain in heaven to as 
great a reward as Macarius merited by his almost superhuman austeri- 
ties. 

4. Peace is especially necessary to Religious, 

How happy is that community where peace always reigns ! Its mem- 
bers are always contented and happy. Each bears a sincere love to- 
wards the other, wishes her neighbor every desirable good, and consid- 
ers it her greatest happiness to be able to live in community. Though 
it sometimes happens, that tribulations and sufferings come upon such 
Religious, peace lightens their burdens, and they consolingly exhort one 
another to confidence in God. If death removes a member of the com- 
munity, they, indeed, experience great sorrow, but the hope of meeting 
each other hereafter, to live together in everlasting love and friendship, 
is a source of comfort to them, and causes them to resign themselves 
perfectly to the will of God. But, what is particularly to be taken into 
consideration is, that in those monasteries where the God of peace has 
made his abode, good discipline and order reign ; all do their duty faith- 
fully, scrupulously observe the holy rule, edify one another by their good 
example, and mutually stimulate one another to greater virtue and per- 
fection. Indeed, nothing more beautiful, nothing better, or more desir- 
able can be imagined, than peace and concord in a Religious community ; 
and St. Jerome is right in saying, that those monasteries in which peace 
dwells, are a paradise upon earth, and that the inmates resemble Angels, 
because they begin even upon earth to have a foretaste of that peace and 
rest which the Angels enjoy in heaven. " Behold, how good and how 
pleasant it is, for brethren to dwell together in unity." (Ps. 132 : 1). 

II. In order to preserve peace, you must, 

1. Have patience with one another, as the Apostle exhorts : "Bear 
ye one another's burdens ; and so shall you fulfil the law of Christ." 
{Gal. 6 : 2). Not all who live in monasteries are saints ; they are hu- 
man beings, whose endeavor it is to become saints ; human beings, strug- 
gling with faults, and sometimes, with very great faults. Patience and 
indulgence are necessary, that peace may be maintained. May our di- 
vine Saviour be your model and guide ! Consider, how indulgent he 
was with the faults of men ! How meek and merciful he showed him- 
self even towards great sinners, —Mary Magdalene, the adulteress, and the 
thief on the cross ! How severely, he rebuked his disciples, when 



Third Day. — Meditation III. 75 

they would call fire from heaven upon the Samaritans, because they did 
not receive him into their city : " You know not of what spirit you 
are. The Son of man came not to destroy souls, but to save." (Luke 
9:55, 56) You should always have the example of Christ before your 
eyes, and make it your rule , that you may keep the peace. If you should 
be under tne necessity of correcting one or the other of your Sisters or 
inferiors, do it in the spirit of meekness and mildness, considering the 
words of St. Francis of Sales, that more flies are caught with a spoon- 
ful of honey, than with a barrel full of vinegar. 

2. Share each others' joys and sorrows. Man rejoices when he meets 
a sympathetic heart ; he feels himself consoled in his tribulation, and 
bears it easier. Hence, the Apostle admonishes us : " Rejoice with 
them that rejoic^ ; weep with them that weep." (Rom, 12: 15). If all 
would observe this rule, they would be even as the members of the phy- 
sical body, where all is in common, and where the pain of one member 
is felt by all the others. Herein, consists the strongest bond of unity ; 
for, who has ever heard of the members of one body being at variance 
with one another, of their persecuting or injuring each other ? This 
mutual participation brings hearts closer together, and gives rise to the 
most intimate union, so that all wish to feel alike. And what could es- 
tablish peace more firmly than such a unity of hearts, such love ! 

3. Shun self-will. Nothing disturbs peace as much as self-will. A 
self-willed person wants everything according to his wishes, and when 
he is commanded to do anything that does not suit him, he contradicts, 
and either absolutely refuses to obey, or obeys reluctantly, murmuring 
all the while. He is also obstinate, pertinaciously insists upon his own 
opinion, and will not yield, even though he sees, that he is wrong. Thus, 
by his repulsive conduct, he is in many ways the occasion of peace be- 
ing disturbed. — Though there be only one self-willed person in a con- 
vent, she can put the whole community in commotion and disorder, and, 
by the dissension and strife which she causes, do a great deal of mis- 
chief. Let it, therefore, be your principal care to eradicate all self-will. 
Do not forget, that you have vowed obedience, and renounced your own 
will ; that, therefore, you commit sin every time you allow yourselves to 
be governed by self-will. Make it your rule, to yield in everything which 
is not manifestly sinful, or contrary to the will of God. To live in peace 
with one another, you must be disposed to give way, rather than to con- 
tend, and to concede even your rights, when unimportant. Never 
quarrel about this or that ; simply speak your opinion ; if others do not 
agree with you, let it rest there. Thus, you will be at peace with your- 
selves and with others. 



76 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



4. Be f riendly in your intercourse with others. 11 A mild answer break- 
eth wrath, but a hard word stirreth up fury." (Prov. 15 : 1).* We are 
human beings ; if one is cross and harsh with us, or speaks to us rudely, 
we feel offended, and cherish ill-will against him. Very much, there- 
fore, depends upon our being courteous in our intercourse with others. 
We must beware of idle talk and sarcasm, because thereby, peace is 
easily disturbed. Experience teaches us the truth of this, for we are 
not pleased if any one ridicules or makes a laughing-stock of us. Treat 
all your Sisters with courtesy, and guard against all discourses which 
might give offence. 

5. Shun all particular friendships. Religious should sincerely love 
one another ; this is their duty even as Christians, since Christ declares 
that those are his true disciples who love their neighbor. {John 13 : 
35). Your intimate union with one another obliges you still more to 
mutual love, being, as you are, members of one and the same family. 
You should resemble the first Christians, of whom we read in the Acts 
of the Apostles, that they were all of one heart and one soul. Your 
charity, like theirs, must be general, and extend to all the members of 
your Order. It would be wrong and reprehensible, if one Sister would 
select another for her particular friend, entertaining herself with her 
upon every occasion, and lavishing on her acts of kindness which she re- 
fused to the others. Much less, should she treat the others coldly, re- 
pulsively, or even disdainfully. This would certainly lead to many dis- 
orders, and disturb the peace. Be prudent, therefore, and circumspect, 
and avoid all particular friendships. Love all sincerely, as becomes 
faithful Religious, and exclude none from your good will. Show 
yourselves particularly amiable and friendly towards those for whom you 
have perhaps a natural aversion, and from whom you may have to en- 
dure much that is unpleasant ; for this is a mortification which is very 
meritorious before God, and promotes peace and concord. 

6. Be reconciled immediately \ when a dissension has occurred. This is 
what the Apostle means, when he says : " Let not the sun go down upon 
your anger." (Eph. 4 : 26). If we at once combat the feelings of 
resentment which may have arisen in the heart, and reconcile ourselves 
with our adversary, the dissension will have no evil consequences. But 
the case is different, if we nurture bitter feelings, and neglect to become 
reconciled. Then, there would be reason to fear, that the feeling of 
anger would take deeper root in the heart, result in enmity, and per- 
manently disturb the peace. Considering this, the Saints were very 
solicitous to be reconciled without delay, even though the peace was 
disturbed through no fault of theirs. St. John, the Almoner, having in 



Third Day.— Meditation. IV. 



77 



vain exhorted a certain nobleman to forgive one with whom he was at 
variance, soon afterwards, invited him to his private chapel to assist at 
his Mass, and there, desired him to recite with him the Lord's prayer. 
The saint paused at the petition : " Forgive us our trespasses, as we for- 
give those that trespass against us." When the nobleman had recited it 
alone, he conjured him to reflect on what he had been saying to God at 
the hour of the tremendous mysteries, in begging to be pardoned in the 
same manner as he forgave others. The nobleman, deeply touched, fell 
down at his feet, and from that moment, was sincerely reconciled with 
his adversary. — Nicetas, the Governor, had formed a project to levy a 
new tax, which was very prejudicial to the poor. The patriarch, John, 
quietly remonstrated in their defence ; whereupon, the Governor, in 
a passion, abruptly left him. Towards evening, St. John sent him 
the message : " The sun is about setting thus reminding him of the 
advice of the Apostle : " Let not the sun go down upon your anger."" This 
admonition had the desired effect upon the Governor. He arose, went 
to the patriarch, and, bathed in tears, asked his pardon. — All Christians, 
and especially Religious, should act as did this holy bishop. When- 
ever a dissension has arisen among them, they should immediately be 
reconciled, that peace may no longer be disturbed, and harmony be re- 
stored. 

Be solicitous, henceforth, to live always in peace and union with one 
another, according to the admonition of the Apostle : " Fulfil ye my 
joy, that you be of one mind, having the same charity, being of one 
accord, agreeing in sentiment ; let nothing be done through strife nor 
by vainglory." How could strife or discord arise among you, since 
you are all spouses of Jesus Christ, the great Prince of Peace, having 
one Mother and one rule, and aiming at one and the same end, which 
is Christian perfection here below, and eternal salvation hereafter ? 
May undisturbed peace and perfect concord dwell in your midst, that 
the promise of Christ may be fulfilled in you : " Blessed are the peace- 
makers, for they shall be called the children of God"! {Matt. 5 : 9). 
Amen. 



MEDITATION IV. 

RELIGIOUS MUST, IN A MANNER, BE BLIND, DUMB, AND DEAF. 

It is a great misfortune to be blind. The blind man does not see the 
light of day. For him, the sun and moon shine in vain ; for him, there 
is nothing but the darkness of night. His feet are sound ; yet he can 
not take a safe step, because he has no eyes to guide him. He has strong, 



78 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



willing hands and a sound intellect, yet, generally speaking, he is unfit 
for any kind of work. How true is the saying : " A blind man is a poor 
man" ! 

To be dumb, is a great affliction. The mute is condemned to per- 
petual silence. He is deprived of the chief power of revealing his 
thoughts, feelings, and desires ; he can take no part in any conversation. 
He is a stranger in society. 

To be deaf is also a great misfortune. To the deaf man, all nature 
is silent ; he never hears the sound of man or beast ; no word of edi- 
fication, consolation, or love ever reaches his ear. 

The greatest calamity, however, would be to be blind, dumb, and deaf 
at one and the same time. A man thus unfortunately afflicted, would have 
no faculty, except the sense of touch, to make or to receive communi- 
cations, or to place himself into spiritual relation with the rest of man- 
kind. 

May the Lord preserve us from such an affliction ! Nevertheless, I 
wish very much, Sisters, that you would all become blind, dumb, 
and deaf, and remain thus to the hour of your departure from this 
world ; for only when you have become blind, dumb, and deaf, are you 
true Religious, walking in the path that leads to salvation. You will 
easily understand what I mean, when I say that 

I. Religious should be blind. 

This is plainly indicated, Sisters, by the veil which you wear. For, to 
what purpose are you veiled, if you must see everything that comes before 
your eyes ? You should be blind, 

i. To things that happen in the convent, — It is the duty of superiors 
to have their eyes upon their subjects, to watch over them, in order to 
correct their faults, and maintain good order and discipline. But those 
who are not superiors should be blind, and remember that others are 
responsible for their own deeds. He who watches others, and with an 
evil mind, takes notice of all they do, is like a curious spy. Such a one 
does very wrong, indeed, because he sins against the love of the neigh- 
bor ; whilst he scrutinizes others, he neglects himself and his own sal- 
vation. St. John of the Cross remarks with justice, that Religious who 
unnecessarily watch the doings of others, never become perfect. This 
uncalled-for, curious observation of the doings of others, is the cause of 
much vexation, disquietude, and disturbance. If one perceives, that 
his equals always have their eyes upon him, he feels grieved, conceives 
an aversion for them, and manifests this aversion both in word and deed. 
Thus, dissensions arise, which produce evil consequences. Let this be a 



Third Day. — Meditation IV. 



79 



principle with you : If you are not a superior ; live as if you were alone 
in the house, and pay ?io attention to what others do. — When St. Peter 
asked our divine Saviour what St. John was to do, our Blessed Lord 
rebuked him for his curiosity, and said : "What is it to thee ? follow 
thou me." {John 21 : 23). These words are also addressed to you. 
Take care of yourselves, and be blind to everything that does not con- 
cern you. 

2. Religious should be blind to all that happens outside the convent. 
It has been said : " If you wish 10 hear news, you must go into a con- 
vent. " To apply this remark to all convents, would certainly be very 
unjust ; for convents in which good discipline is maintained and the 
rule conscientiously observed, are closed against the world and its do- 
ings. But there are convents which resemble an intelligence-office 
where human curiosity is always, at least partially, gratified. There 
are convents, in which meetings are almost daily held in the parlor ; and 
where all the news of the outside world is made the topic of conversa- 
tion. What sort of conversation is this for Religious ? I know that 
such things do not occur in your convent, and I only mention them to 
show, how improper such gossip is for Religious ; and to exhort you, 
for the future, to separate yourselves as much as possible from the world 
and its vain conversation. " Let the dead bury their dead." (Luke 9 \ 
60). You have consecrated yourselves to God. What happens in the 
world should be of no interest to you. Moreover, it is only too certain, 
that frequent conversations with seculars cause many distractions in the 
heart, weaken the spirit of devotion, deprive the soul of interior peace, 
and cause many temptations. For this reason, all fervent Religious, 
both male and female, have always secluded themselves from the world 
as much as possible, deeming it a mortification and a pain to be forced 
to come in contact with it. Consider what the venerable Frances For- 
nese said to her Sisters : " We have shut ourselves up within four walls, 
not for the purpose of seeing and being seen, but that we may keep our- 
selves pure before the eyes of God. The more we conceal ourselves 
from seculars, the more God will make himself known to us by his 
grace in this world, and by his glory in the next !" 

3. Finally, Religious should be blind to that which might be to them the 
cause of dangerous temptation. Tertullian relates, that a heathen phi- 
losopher, in order to preserve himself from impurity, plucked out his 
eyes. We, Christians, are not allowed to do this ; but, if we wish to live 
chastely, we must become blind from a motive of virtue, never looking 
deliberately at anything which might cause impure temptations in our 
heart. Ah ! who can number the grievous sins originating in incau- 



So 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



tious, curious glances ! Our first mother, Eve, fell into the snares of Sa- 
tan by the incontinence of her eyes. " The woman saw that the tree 
was good to eat, and fair to the eyes, and delightful to behold ; and she 
took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave to her husband, who did 
eat." (Gen. 3 : 6). Dina, the daughter of Jacob, went out to see the 
women of her country, and so, lost her innocence. {Gen. 34 : 1, 2). 
Even David, the man according to God's own heart, by reason of one 
unguarded glance of his eyes, fell into the sins of adultery and murder. 
" He, therefore," says St. Francis of Sales, " who does not want the 
enemy to penetrate into the fortress, must close the doors." For this 
reason, the Saints were so very cautious with their eyes, that, in order 
not to meet by chance a dangerous object, they fixed them habitually 
on the ground, not daring to look even at innocent objects. — St. Ber- 
nard had been a year in the novitiate before he knew, whether the ceil- 
ing was flat or groined. There were three windows in the church of his 
monastery, but he was not aware of it, because he had never raised his 
eyes from the ground. Having walked, one day, on the shores of a lake, 
for a length of time, he asked his companions who spoke of the lake, 
where they had seen it, for he had not noticed it. — St. Jerome, General 
of the Capuchins, only used his eyes to look up to heaven, and upon 
the fields. During his whole life, he never looked upon a man, woman, 
or objects of art. St. Clare, during her whole life, never saw a man. 
She said, if the picture of a man were reflected upon the water, she 
would not look at it. When she went abroad, she veiled herself so close- 
ly that no one could see her face, nor she, the face of another. 

Take these Saints for your models ; and, like pious Job, make a cov- 
enant with your eyes to look at nothing which could be to you the cause 
of temptation. Do not look curiously at yourself, nor at others. Im- 
mediately turn your eyes away from whatever makes a bad impression 
upon you, or causes the least temptation to arise within you. In your 
conversation with others, imitate St. Francis of Sales, who looked at 
people only in so far as to ascertain who they were, but never fixed his 
eyes upon them. Such mortification of the eyes, although not always 
strictly commanded, is, nevertheless, very much to be recommended, be- 
cause it wards off the danger of sin, contributes greatly to interior re- 
collection, and entitles us to the hope of a glorious reward hereafter. 

II. Religious should be dmnb. 

There are Orders which oblige their members to perpetual silence. 
Never speaking at their meetings, at their business, or at their work, 
those Religious resemble the dumb. — In a certain sense, all Religious 
should be dumb, 



Third Day. — Meditation IV. 



81 



1. To the ordinances and commands of their superiors. When your su- 
periors ordain or command anything, you must not contradict, show 
your displeasure, or censure their commands, but obey in humility and 
respectful silence. The Obedience you have vowed, as also, the rever- 
ence due your superiors, requires this, since, as I have already remarked, 
they hold the place of God. — St. Francis Xavier, that indefatigable 
apostle of the faith in India and Japan, one day, received a letter from 
the General of the Order, St. Ignatius, which contained nothing else 
than the Latin letter " I." Now " I," in Latin, mean?, "Go." And be- 
hold, St. Francis had scarcely seen this letter •* I, " when he left the 
sphere of his labor, in which he had done so much good for the honor 
of God and the salvation of souls, and went to the place, whither his su- 
perior called him, without making the least objection. Should not this 
obedience of so great a Saint stimulate us to submit willingly and silently 
to the ordinances of our superior ? 

2. Religious should be dumb regarding tlie faults of their superiors and 
companions. To disclose the faults of our neighbor without necessity, 
and to communicate them to others, is always sinful, for it is contrary to 
fraternal charity, which imposes upon us the duty of doing to others as we 
would wish others to do unto us. But it is particularly sinful for Re- 
ligious to speak ill of their superiors, and to reveal their faults, because 
then, they not only sin against fraternal charity, but also violate the rev- 
erence and respect due to superiors, and at the same time, undermine 
their authority, which is so necessary for the preservation of discipline 
in a community. If the rule does not require it, they must not even 
divulge the faults of their companions, — least of all, to people outside 
the convent. Be, therefore, prudent, and make it a rule, never to di- 
vulge what transpires in the convent, that the honor and reputation of 
your Order may not suffer loss. 

3. Religious should also be dumb to the reprimands which they receive. 
If a Religious has deserved a reprimand on account of a fault, as a matter 
of course, she must accept it in humility ; if she has not deserved it. she will 
not sin by excusing herself quietly and without passionate excitement, 
but it is better even in this case, to receive the rebuke patiently and si- 
lently. — St. Teresa says, that a Religious who is accused of a fault, and 
who neither defends nor excuses herself, gains more thereby than by 
hearing ten sermons. St. Alphonsus Liguori says : "If you should be 
unjustly reproved, for the love of humility, do not justify yourself, unless 
the justification be necessary in order to prevent scandal." A Sister 
once wrote to Father Anthony Torres, her confessor, to apologize to a 
certain person for a fault which was laid to her charge. The pious priest 



82 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



wrote back to her : " I was very much astonished, that you dared ask 
me to justify you. I pity you. I presume, an over-amount of business 
has caused you to forget what you heard during Passion-week of 
your Bridegroom, when they called him a seducer. For it could 
not well be possible, that you could have thought of this, and at the 
same time, written to me an account of your justification. Be ashamed 
of yourself, and with bare feet, and a rope about your neck, before the 
crucifix, ask forgiveness of God on account of your infidelity. Make a 
firm resolution never again to justify or excuse yourself, but always 
acknowledge your faults, though you should die under the acknowledg- 
ment. Your Bridegroom died for you in the greatest contumely ; and 
in the same manner, you must strive to obtain the love of Christ." 

4. They should be dumb regarding the good which they do. There are 
Christians who publish all the good they do, for they are ambitious, and 
seek praise and applause. But, by doing so, they lose the merit of their 
good works. Hence, our Lord said of the Pharisees, (who performed 
their good works publicly, in order to be seen by the people, and who 
sought the praise of men), that they had already received their reward ; 
and he exhorts us to keep our good works secret. (Matt. 6 : 3, et seq). 
Never reveal, without an important reason, the good which you do ; and 
in all your good works, have in view only the honor of God and the sal- 
vation of your soul. The more you despise the praise and applause of 
men, the more honor and reward you will receive from your Father in 
heaven. 

5. Finally , Religious should be dumb during the time of silence. The 
founders of all Orders, and all spiritual writers, lay great stress upon si- 
lence in convents, and say, that only those convents rest upon a solid 
foundation in which silence is strictly observed ; and that those are in a 
bad condition whose inmates think nothing of violating the rule of si- 
lence. St. Ignatius observes, that in order to know, whether the true 
Religious spirit dwells in a convent or not, all you have to do is to see 
whether silence is observed. A convent where the rule of silence is not 
observed, is a place wherein strife, dissensions, quarrels, murmuring, com- 
plaints, and particular friendships, will never have an end. But those 
convents in which silence is strictly observed, are a picture of heaven, 
and inspire to devotion, not only those who live in them, but also those 
who visit them. Father Natalis of the Society of Jesus says, that, in 
order to restore a Religious house to its pristine vigor, it suffices to re- 
establish the rule of silence, for then, every one will remain recollected, 
and be intent upon his progress in virtue and perfection. Experience 
also teaches, that in a convent in which silence is strictly maintained, 



Third Day. — Meditation IV. 



the rules also are conscientiously observed ; and that, where silence is not 
observed, there is noReligiousspirit. St. Alphonsus Liguori says, the rea- 
son why so few Religious become Saints is, because so few observe the 
rule of silence. 

Therefore, conscientiously observe the silence which your rule pre- 
scribes. " In the multitude of words, there shall not want sin : but he 
that refraineth his lips is most wise." {Prov. 10 : 19). "If any man 
think himself religious, not bridling his tongue, but deceiving his own 
heart, this man's religion is vain." {St. James 1 : 26). In general, let 
your words be few. Speech is silver, but silence is gold. The less 
you speak, the lighter will be the account you will have to render to 
Jesus Christ, (who will demand an account of every idle word); and the 
better you can preserve within you the spirit of devotion and Religious 
fervor. 

III. Religious should be deaf, 

1. To complaints about superiors, and other members of the Order. 
Even in convents, there are people who can never rest, who are always 
dissatisfied, murmuring and complaining, first of one, then of another. 
Superiors must reprimand such unruly characters with severity, remind 
them of the sinfulness of their discontent, and impose an adequate pen- 
ance upon them, in order, if possible, to cure them of their dangerous 
spiritual distemper. Their equals must not suffer themselves to be led 
into discontent by them ; on the contrary, they should patiently and 
charitably instruct and admonish them to overcome their discontent, by 
directing their thoughts to Jesus, the meek Redeemer, who cries out to us : 
" Learn of me, because I am meek and humble of heart ; and you shall 
find rest to your souls." {Matt. 11 : 29). Never permit melancholy, i 1 1 — 
will, or dissatisfaction to find room in your hearts. On the contrary, 
study meekness ; and do not forget, that you must mortify yourselves, 
and patiently and silently endure hard, unpleasant, and disagreeable 
things, if you will bear away the kingdom of heaven by violence. 

2. They should be deaf to all news from the outer world. If seculars 
visit the convent, and bring news, you should not tarry long with them, 
or listen to their discourses with complacency. When they notice that 
you turn a deaf ear to their gossip, they will soon cease taxing your pa- 
tience with it ; they will, perhaps, omit their visits altogether, which cer- 
tainly will be no injury, but rather a blessing. Confine yourselves to 
strictly necessary conversation with seculars, and endeavor to banish all 
unbecoming discourses. Good, fervent Religious, always enter the par- 
lor with a certain fear, recommending themselves to God in secret, in 



8 4 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



order not to sin in conversation, and to be able to return with a quiet 
heart into solitude. Do likewise, that your visits to the parlor may 
cause you no disquietude on your death-bed. 

3. Be deaf to human praise. Nothing is vainer than human applause. 
Those who praise us, are frequently insincere. They praise, in order to 
flatter, whilst in their hearts, they despise rather than esteem us. And 
what does it all profit if God is, perhaps, displeased with us, or reproves 
us for our many faults ? Man sees only the exterior, but God searches 
the heart ; and many a one whom the world considers holy, is rejected 
by God. Alas ! how dangerous it is to give ear to flattery ! How 
much it is to be feared, that vainglory and pride will creep into our 
hearts, — therein, destroying the merit of all the good we have done ! 
Shun those who praise and flatter you. Be brief with them; give the con- 
versation another turn, and humble yourselves in your hearts, that you 
may not be deprived of the fruit of your good works. Far be it from you, 
to imitate those who, when they are praised, humble themselves exte- 
riorly, but love to hear themselves lauded ! For such are hypocrites 
before God, receiving from him the praise bestowed of old upon the 
Scribes and Pharisees ! 

4. Be deaf to interior temptations. There are temptations in the con- 
vent as well as in the world, though not as many. Sometimes, it is the 
devil, sometimes, evil concupiscence, sometimes, the outer world, that 
entices Religious to evil. Like people in the world, Religious, too, 
are tempted to all kinds of sin. And these temptations may continue 
during a whole life-time. I need not, therefore, tell you, that you should 
be deaf to all temptations, in order to preserve your hearts undefiled. 
Disapprove of every temptation as soon as you become cognizant of it, 
and banish it from you with disgust ; promptly elicit pious thoughts, 
and recommend yourselves to Jesus and Mary. If you do this, a 
thousand temptations, though they should arise with the greatest vehe- 
mence, and return again and again, will not be able to lead you into 
mortal sin. On the contrary, they will afford you the best opportunity 
of proving your fidelity and love of God, and of increasing your merits 
for heaven. 

Now, you know, what I mean, when I exhort you to be blind, 
dumb, and deaf. Though people who are corporally blind, dumb, 
and deaf are very unhappy, those who are blind, dumb, and deaf in 
a spiritual sense, are blessed, indeed, because they close their hearts 
against all the enemies of their salvation, and walk the narrow path that 
leads to virtue and sanctity. Ask God, to-day, at the close of this Re- 
treat, to give you the grace to be blind, dumb, and deaf to everything 



Third Day. — Meditation IV. 



8.5 



incompatible with your vocation, or injurious to your salvation. Have 
eyes, tongue, and ears only for the service of God, and for your perfec- 
tion and sanctification. Renew your holy vows, and resolve to scrupu- 
lously observe them and your rules, as long as you live. You have 
renounced the world and all the world possesses, and have chosen God 
for your portion. You have entered the Religious state to serve God ex- 
clusively, and to be solicitous only for the one thing necessary. Remain 
faithful to your noble calling, that the words of Christ, your Lord and 
Redeemer, may be fulfilled in each one of you : " Be thou faithful unto 
death, and I will give thee the crown of life in heaven." (Apoc. 2 : 
10). Amen. 



.36 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



SECOND SERIES. 

THE PERFECTION OF RELIGIOUS. 



FIRST DAY. 



MEDITATION I. 

ON STRIVING AFTER RELIGIOUS PERFECTION. 

Again, Sisters, you are about to enter upon the exercises of a spirit- 
ual Retreat. These exercises are salutary for every Christian, but par- 
ticularly so, for Religious. Therefore, they cannot be too highly rec- 
ommended to you. Jesus Christ himself gives us a beautiful example. 
You know, that before entering upon his public life, he retired into the 
desert, where he spent forty days. How else did he occupy himself, than 
in spiritual exercises ? Although the God-Man had no personal need 
of them, he desired to teach us by his example, that, from time to time, 
we should retire into solitude, in order to reflect seriously on the one 
thing necessary, and to make strong and efficacious resolutions for our 
sanctification. Even to his disciples, he commended spiritual exercises, 
when, at their return from the mission, he said to them : " Come ye apart 
into a desert place, and rest a little." {Ma?'k 6 : 31). Hence, spiritual 
writers have urgently recommended these spiritual exercises to those in 
the world, as well as in monasteries, and extolled them as one of the best 
means for attaining sanctity. 

Every Christian, however solicitous for salvation, is under the ban of 
concupiscence, which strives to attach him to the visible things of this 
world, and to lead him into various sins. Moreover, he lives and works 
in a world seated in wickedness, which, in various ways, impedes him in 
the service of God ; and finally, he has to fight many a hard battle with 
Satan, the arch-enemy of the human race. — It ma)', therefore, happen 
but too frequently, that he takes a wrong step, grows cold in fervor, and 



Second Series ; First Day. 



— Meditation I. 



87 



runs the risk of sinning grievously, and losing the grace of God. You, 
Sisters, are more fortunately situated, for you are separated from the 
world, and live in the Religious state ; but you come in contact with 
the world more or less, and are, therefore, not altogether secure against 
its snares. You are also, even though in the convent, exposed to various 
temptations, and may sin. For this reason, the spiritual exercises will, 
at least, be useful and salutary, if not necessary, for you. 

The subject with which we shall occupy ourselves during this three 
days' Retreat, is expressed in the words of Christ : " Be ye perfect, as 
also your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matt. $ : 48). All Christians, 
and especially, all Religious, must become perfect. A Religious who does 
not endeavor to become perfect, is in danger of falling into grievous sin, 
and of perishing eternally. I, therefore, sincerely wish, that the words 
of Christ : " Be ye perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect," 
may be continually before your mind's eye, becoming, in short, the 
rule of your life. — In this meditation, I shall briefly show you, 

I. Wherein Religious perfection cojisists ; and 

II. Why we must strive after it. 

I. In what does Religious perfection consist ? 

First of all, I must remark, that the perfection of the Religious state 
does not consist in the practice of the Evangelical Counsels, viz : in 
voluntary Poverty, perpetual Chastity, and Obedience to a spiritual su- 
perior. These Evangelical Counsels are something great ; but, although 
Religious may most scrupulously fulfil these Counsels, to which they 
oblige themselves by vow, they would not on that account be perfect. 
Many people, even pagans, have done what the Evangelical Counsels 
prescribe, and have been anything but perfect. Thus, Crates, and many- 
other pagan philosophers, despised earthly goods, and lived in volun- 
tary poverty. The Vestal virgins at Rome lived very continently and 
chastely. Soldiers are bound to the strictest obedience. But who will 
say, that pagans, on account of their poverty and chastity, or soldiers, 
on account of their military obedience, are of the number of the 
Saints ? — The Evangelical Counsels are means, and most excellent 
means, to perfection, but they are not perfection itself. This is the 
teaching of St. Thomas of Aquino, who terms the Evangelical Counsels 
only the means to the end, not the end itself, which is perfection. — Nei- 
ther does perfection consist in various virtues and good works, because 
these do not exclude sin, which is incompatible with perfection. Thus, 
for instance, one may have faith and hope, may be meek, chaste, pa- 
tient, and give alms, and yet, violate God's commandments, and lead a. 
vicious life in various ways. 



88 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



-Perfection consists in the love of God. In other words, we are per- 
fect, just, and holy, if we love God as we ought to love him. • There 
can be no doubt about this, because the Apostle emphatically calls love 
the bond of perfection. (Col. 3 : 14). This is the unanimous doc- 
trine of the Fathers of the Church, and of other spiritual writers. Hence, 
St. Augustine says : " Love in its first stage is the perfection of a child ; 
increasing love is increasing perfection ; great love is a great perfec- 
tion, and consummate love is consummate perfection." St. Thomas of 
Aquino says : " The perfection of Christian life consists essentially in 
charity." St. Francis of Sales says : u Every one represents perfection 
to himself according to his own notion. Some believe it to consist in 
almsgiving ; others, in the frequent reception of the Sacraments ; and 
others, in prayer ; but all these deceive themselves, mistaking the means 
for the end, or the effect for the cause. I, for my part, know no other 
perfection than this, to love God with the whole heart, and the neigh- 
bor as one's self ; every other perfection is false." 

But now, the question arises : In what does the love of God con- 
sist ? Or, in other words : What must be our disposition and our con- 
duct, to the end that we may say truly : " / love God^ — ? I answer : 
If we truly love God, we 

1. Rejoice in him. A mother who dearly loves her son, rejoices at his 
good qualities, as if they were her own. When he studies well at school, 
when he excels his fellow-pupils, when the teacher praises him, she ex- 
periences great joy. If she hears his name mentioned in connection 
with some gallant deed, some charitable act, some work of art, the blush 
of joy quickly rises to her cheek, and she rejoices, as if the greatest hap- 
piness had fallen to her lot. If we inquire into the cause of this joy, 
we shall find it is, because she loves her son as herself. A still greater joy 
will fill a soul that loves God not only as much as she loves herself, but 
incomparably more than herself; for, if she finds in him all conceivable 
good, if she recognizes him as infinite power,. wisdom, beauty, goodness, 
and loveliness itself, infinitely sufficient for himself, and contented with 
himself, and infinitely happy, why should she not rejoice at so great a 
good, why not feel the greatest delight and satisfaction, as much and even 
more than if she herself were as rich in infinite goods ? 

This love of complacency enables us to endure all the tribulations 
and sufferings of life. Even as a sick mother forgets her own pains, 
and scarcely feels them, for joy over the high dignity to which her son 
has been elevated, so one look at God, the infinitely happy Being, will 
fill the soul with so great a joy, that v disregarding the tribulations of 
life, she can say with the Apostle : " I am filled with comfort ; I 
exceedingly abound with joy in all my tribulations." (II. Cor. 7 : 



Second Series ; First Day. — Meditation I. 



89 



4.) — Happy the Christian who loves God so intensely, and who arrives 
at this complacency in his infinite perfections ! He will experience even 
in this life, a foretaste of heavenly felicity. Yea, he will enjoy a heaven 
upon earth, since that heaven which is prepared for us hereafter, con- 
sists in a joyful love, springing from the intuition of the greatness and 
glory of God. The beginning of beatitude is to rejoice in God. 

2. We must prefer God to all creatures. Reason convinces us of this. 
What are all creatures, from the least to the greatest, compared to God ? 
As little as, and, indeed, infinitely less than a dew-drop compared 
to the immense ocean, than a grain of sand compared to our earth. 
Hence, it is evident, that we must love God more than all creatures. 
Christ demands this love of preference, when he says : " He that loveth 
father and mother more than me, is not worthy of me ; and he that lov- 
eth son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me." {Matt. 10 : 
37). We find this love of preference in all the Saints. St. Paul assures us, 
that " neither life nor death could separate him from the love of Christ." 
{Rom.%: 38,39). St. Francis of Sales says of himself : " If I knew that 
there was in my heart even a trace of an inclination which was not of 
and for God, I would destroy it at once ; for I would prefer not to 
live, than not to love God and to belong to him entirely." Whoever, 
therefore, would have such an attachment for anything created, e. g., 
for money, property, for a person, or for his own life, that he would not 
be ready to renounce it as soon as he recognized it to be the will of 
God, such a one could not be said to love God above all things, and 
would not even be on the way to virtue, much less, to Christian perfec- 
tion. Be cautious, therefore, Sisters, lest you have an inordinate in- 
clination for any created thing, and should you discover such an inclina- 
tion, in your hearts, overcome it at once, that you may be able to give 
yourselves to God with an undivided love. 

3. We must be zealous for GoaTs honor. If we love any one truly, we 
are by no means indifferent whether he is honored or despised. On 
the contrary, we desire that the honor due him, be given him by all If 
an injury is done him, we interest ourselves in his behalf, and are zeal- 
ous for his honor. — Such, will be our conduct towards God, if we love 
him with our whole heart. We will wish for nothing more, than that all 
men show him due honor ; and we will be profoundly grieved, when we 
see that his holy name is dishonored and blasphemed ; we will also pro- 
mote his honor as far as lies in our power. We need not wonder, there- 
fore, that all God-loving souls were animated with the most glowing zeal 
for his honor. It was this zeal that inspired David to exclaim : <£ The 
zeal of thy house hath eaten me up : and the reproaches of them that re- 



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A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



proached thee are fallen upon me." (Ps. 68 : 10). This zeal animated 
the Apostle, when he said : " I fear neither chains no- affliction, neither 
do I count my life more precious than myself, so tnat I may consum- 
mate my course, and the ministry of the word which I have re- 
ceived from the Lord Jesus, to testify the Gospel of the grace of God." 
(Acts 20 : 24). Because the name of God is dishonored by every sin, 
pious Christians have ever been intent upon eradicating injustice and sin 
from among men, and of implanting virtue and piety instead. In this 
laudable endeavor, they feared no labor, underwent all kinds of suffer- 
ings and persecutions, and even sacrificed their lives. — An admirable 
example of this is given us in the life of Father John of Novella of the 
Dominican Order. During his entire life as priest, he labored with inde- 
fatigable zeal for the honor of God and the salvation of souls. When al- 
most in the agonies of death, the bell of the convent was rung by one 
who urgently asked to go to confession. He was told that the Father 
was no longer able to hear confessions. But ,the good priest, hearing 
of the penitent's desire, ordered him, although the light of his life was 
almost extinguished, to be brought to his cell ; there, he heard his con- 
fession, absolved him from his sins, and immediately after, expired. 
What admirable zeal for the honor of God ! — You, Sisters, are not so 
situated as to be able to manifest your zeal for God in a like heroic man- 
ner, but evince it, at least, in such manner as your circumstances permit. 
Pray for the conversion of infidels, heretics, and sinners ; offer the Holy 
Communion and other good works for them. Endeavor to lead the chil- 
dren entrusted to your care, to piety and the fear of God ; and influence 
your companions in Religion, by word and example, to walk in the path of 
virtue. 

4. Finally, we ?nust love our ?ieighbor. The love of our neighbor is 
founded on the love of God, with which it is inseparably united. St. 
Catharine of Genoa once said to the Lord : " O my God, thou com- 
mandest me to love my neighbor, and I can love no one but thee." 
Our divine Saviour replied : " My daughter, he that loves me, loves 
whatever I love." — From these words, it is evident that the love of our 
neighbor is founded upon the love of God, and that where the love of 
God is, there, also, is the love of our neighbor. The lover naturally shares 
all the sentiments of his beloved, and loves all things whatsoever she 
loves. St. Alphonsus says ° '* If any one loves a certain person, he 
also loves her relatives, her servants, her pictures, her clothes — and why ? 
Because these things are loved by the beloved." Now, faith teaches 
us that God loves all his creatures, especially his rational creatures. 
Out of love, he created them ; out of love, he provides for their neces- 
sities, for time and eternity. He even so loved them, as to give his only- 



Second Series ; First Day. — Meditation I. 



91 



begotten Son for their redemption. Now, if we truly love God, it nec- 
essarily follows, that we love our fellow-men ; because, as remarked 
above, it is of the very nature of love to share the sentiments of the person 
beloved. The love of God and of our neighbor are, therefore, co-ex- 
istent, and the former is not possible without the latter. Hence, St. 
John writes : " If any man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he 
is a liar. For he that loveth not his brother, whom he seeth, how can 
he love God, whom he seeth not ?" (/. John 4 : 20). Examine your 
conscience, therefore, on this point, and see if you are friendly and 
kindly-disposed towards all men, — if you desire them all that is good, 
and do them acts of kindness, whenever an opportunity presents itself ; 
for, from this, you can conclude, whether you love God or not. 

II. Why must we strive after perfection. 

We must strive after perfection, 

1. Because God commands it. — Even in the Old Law, God gave this 
commandment to men. Thus, he spoke to Abraham : " I am the Al- 
mighty God : walk before me and be perfect." {Gen. 17 : 1). And 
to the whole people of Israel, he said : " Thou shalt be perfect and 
without spot before the Lord thy God." {Deut. 18 : 20). Now, if men 
under the Old Law were obliged to strive after perfection, how can we 
be exempt from that duty, who have a far more perfect law, and greater 
graces for the observance of it, than the people of Israel ? Our divine 
Saviour expressly says : " Be you perfect, as also your heavenly Father 
is perfect." {Matt. 5 : 48). True, we can never attain the perfection 
of God, but we must, at least, strive to attain that degree of perfection 
which is possible for us. The Apostles, too, exhort us to this : " As 
children of obedience," (says St. Peter),"be conformed according to him 
who is holy, who has called you, be you also holy in all conversation. 
For it is written : You shall be holy, because I am holy." {I. Pet, 1 : 
16). And St. Paul says : " We pray and beseech you in the Lord Jesus, 
that as you have received from us, how you ought to walk and to please 
God, so also you would walk, that you may abound the more." (/. 
Thess. 4 : 1). 

Now, if all men are bound to strive after perfection, how much more 
incumbent is it upon since you belong to a Religious Order, which 
is a state of perfection ? " A Religious life," says St. Thomas of Aquino, 
" is a state of perfection. Not that a man becomes perfect as soon as he 
becomes a Religious, but because Religious are strictly obliged to strive 
after perfection ; and because he who does not strive to become perfect, 
and who does not apply himself in good earnest to it, cannot be said to 



Q2 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



be a true Religious, for he does not do the very thing for which he 
embraced that profession." If, therefore, you should neglect to strive 
after perfection, you would sin against the duty of your vocation ; you 
would act contrary to your vows and rules, which have for their object 
nothing else than your daily progress in virtue and sanctity. Consider 
this well, and do not grow weary in endeavoring to perfect yourselves 
more and more in virtue. 

2. We must strive after perfection, because our felicity in heaven will 
be in proportion to our perfection. 

(a) The felicity of heaven consists essentially in the knowledge and 
love of God. The more the Saints in heaven know and love God, the 
greater is their happiness. Now, the question arises : What must we 
do, to obtain in heaven the highest possible degree of the knowledge and 
love of God ? The answer is simple : We must endeavor to ascend to 
the highest degree of Christian perfection in this life ; for, the holier we 
become, the more conformable we shall be to God ; and the more com- 
formable we are to God, the more we shall know and love him ; whence, 
it follows, that the holier we live here, the happier we shall be hereafter. 

(b) Since perfection consists in love, we are the more perfect, the 
more we love God. And the more we love God upon earth, the more 
we shall love him in heaven ; and the more we love him in heaven, the 
more intimately we shall be united with him, and the greater will be our 
happiness. 

(c) Finally, if we fervently strive after perfection, we do all the good 
we can, and thereby, acquire for ourselves a great treasure of merits for 
heaven, by numberless mortifications, and by the practice of virtues and 
good works. And the more merits we bring with us before the di- 
vine Judge, the greater shall be our reward, for " he who soweth in 
blessings, shall also reap of blessings." {II. Cor. 9 : 6). 

Should not these motives stimulate you to serve God with fervor, and 
to labor without ceasing for your perfection ? Ah ! what do not secu- 
lars do, in order to prepare for themselves a happy lot for this short, 
earthly life ! What labor and pains do they take upon themselves ! How 
many nights do they sacrifice their rest, and to how many dangers do 
they not expose themselves ! They toil like slaves, fast, watch, and deny 
themselves their whole life long, in order to accumulate money, which 
they have no time to enjoy. And should we do nothing, to obtain the 
eternal felicity of heaven ? In the affair of salvation, should we be 
drowsy and slothful, when we well know that every one will be rewarded 



Second Series ; First Day.— Meditation. I. 93 



according to his labor ? O, hold firm to this thought : The more 
good I do, and the more perfect I become, the happier I shall be in 
heaven. The least degree of heavenly felicity is worth more than all the 
dignities and glories of the world. 

3. We must strive after perfection, because we run the risk of los- 
ing our souls, if we neglect doing so. There is no stand-still in all na- 
ture ; things either progress or retrogress. Consider the animals, the 
trees, and the plants ; they grow for some time, attain to a certain de- 
gree of perfection, then decrease, and hasten to dissolution. It is the 
same with men ; they grow in infancy and youth, and reach their great- 
est strength in the years of manhood ; after which, they begin to decline, 
until, finally, their body becomes frail, and ripe for the grave As in 
the natural, so in the moral life, there is no stand-still. We become 
either more virtuous, or more vicious. To remain in the same degree 
of perfection, is an impossibility. He who does not endeavor to be- 
come more perfect, becomes more imperfect. Hence, St. Augustine 
says : " In the way of perfection, not to advance and to go back, are 
one and the same thing." And St. Bernard says ; "Well ! will you 
not advance ? No. What then ? Will you go back ? By no means. 
What will you do then ? I will remain as I am, and grow neither better 
nor worse. Then, you will do what is impossible ; for, in this life, there 
can be no state of permanency. This is a privilege belonging to God 
alone, 'with whom there is no change, nor the least shadow of vicissi- 
tude.' " (St. James 1 : 17). What must you do, in order to ascend a 
rapid stream ? You must continually row, Can you stop in the same 
place ? By no means. As soon as you cease rowing for a moment, 
you are carried down the stream. He who makes no progress in vir- 
tue, will make the greater strides backward, because man is, by nature, 
prone to evil. God gives his graces more and more sparingly to the 
lukewarm. In the beginning, they commit only small faults, but by and 
by, they fall into grievous sins ; and, unless they renounce their tepid- 
ity and spiritual sloth, everlasting ruin will be their portion. 

Hence, guard against nothing more than against lukewarmness. Do 
not say ; I am good and pious enough, I need not become better. Such 
language is contrary to the will of God, who requires us to strive after 
perfection, without ceasing ; and failing to do so, we expose ourselves 
to the danger of falling into grievous sins, and of being eternally lost. 

Onward, then, and upward ! Renew your zeal in the service of God, 
and in the affair of your salvation. Look back upon your past life, and 
if you observe, that you have been guilty of much that was wrong, re- 
pent from your heart before God, and promise him for the future to la- 
bor for your thorough amendment. You have entered the Religious 



94 A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 

state in order to become perfect. Do not forget, that all depends upon 
your seriously and perseveringly striving after perfection. Labor con- 
tinually for your sanctification, that you may arrive safely at your 
journey's end. Amen. 



MEDITATION II. 

THE SISTER IN THE MORNING. 

The end crowns the work. That the end may be good, it is very ex- 
pedient, though not absolutely necessary, that the beginning be good. 
When the sun rises bright in the morning, we are led to expect a nice 
day ; but when his rising is clouded and obscured, it is a sign that 
there will be rain. — A pious Religious once saw a devil going from cell 
to cell, at night, scattering tools and materials in all directions. The 
Religious asked him : " Why do you do this ?" The Evil One replied : 
" I am preparing distractions for your brethren. When they rise, and 
see what is done, they will be displeased, and, putting things in order 
they will fail to give their first thoughts to God, or, at least, will say 
their morning prayers with distractions." 

Be careful, then, Sisters, lest the Evil Spirit darken the first hours of the 
day for vou, for a dark, cloudy morning might easily be followed by a dis- 
agreeable day and a rainy evening. — During this hour of meditation, 
let us consider the pious Religious consecrating the first hours of the 
day to God. 

I. The Sister rising from sleep. 

When God had formed the body of Adam from the slime of the earth, 
it was cold and stiff, without life and motion. But when he breathed 
into it the breath of life, — the immortal soul, — it remained no longer ly- 
ing on the ground, but arose, and lived. Let Adam beyourmodel, on 
arising in the morning. Rise at the appointed time, without a moment's 
delay. Quit your bed at once. The body is sensual, effeminate, and 
lazy, and often objects to getting up. Rebuke it with determination, 
and do not remain a minute in bed to gratify your love of ease. St. 
Teresa says : " As soon as a Sister hears the bell ring, she must imme- 
diately leave her bed." It is related of St. Peter of Alcantara that, for 
forty years, he never slept more than an hour, or an hour and a half, daily, 
and that, in order not to sleep longer, he rested his head on a piece of wood 



Second series; First Day. — Meditation II. 



95 



fastened to the wall. We also read of many other Saints, that they slept 
very little, saying, they would wait for their rest after death. 1 do not say 
that you should imitate these Saints. No ; sleep during the time allotted 
by the rule ; but, when the time for rising has come, leave the bed at once, 
and say to yourselves : If so many Saints have deprived themselves of 
sleep, and have watched whole nights in prayer, I can, at least, make this 
little sacrifice to God ! Religious who are slow in rising, sin by indulg- 
ing sensuality, which should be mortified on every occasion. They also fail 
against Obedience, because they do not observe the time which the rule 
prescribes for rising. A spiritual writer says : In the morning, as soon 
as the time has come for rising, we should leave the bed as quickly, as 
if it were on fire. — Reflect, that the fire of hell is burning for the slothful. 
If you always rise quickly, without a moment's delay, it is a mortification 
which pleases God, and for which he will reward you with a special grace. 
How you should occupy yourselves after having risen, I need not tell 
you, since your rule directs you in this. I only admonish you to close 
your heart against all earthly thoughts, to be recollected, and to make 
pious aspirations. 

II. The Sister clothi?ig herself. 

As soon as you are out of bed, you must clothe yourself with mod- 
esty, and in the fear of God. Say ; " O, that I may put on a new man, 
O Lord, created according to thee !" Think what a great grace it is 
to belong to the Religious state. Recall the day on which you laid 
off your secular clothes forever, and, putting on the Religious habit^ 
return thanks to God for having called you to this holy state. Ask 
pardon of him, if your dispositions and conduct have not always corre- 
sponded with your Religious habit, and resolve to amend. It is often 
said : "The dress makes the man," — a proverb, which may hold good 
in the eyes of worldlings, but not in those of God ; for he looks to the 
heart and not to the clothes, and rejects all who do not serve him, no 
matter whether clothed in secular or Religious garments. 

It is an excellent practice in the morning, to call to mind the 
garment of innocence, wherewith you were clothed at your baptism, 
and which the priest presented to you with these words : " Receive 
this white garment, and see, thou carry it without stain before the judg- 
ment-seat of our Lord Jesus Christ, that thou mayest have eternal life !'' 
Think also of the wedding-garment mentioned in the Gospel : and of the 
words of the king, who said to the negligent guest at the marriage-feast : 
"Friend, how earnest thou in, hither not having on a wedding-garment?' 
O, what would happen to you and to me, were we to appear before the di- 
vine Judge without the nuptial garment of sanctifying grace ! We would be 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



cast into exterior darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. 

Beware of all vanity in dress. How was our dear Lord clothed ? 
He wore an under-garment woven by the hands of his blessed Mother, 
and over this, a mantle of coarse material, according to the manner of 
the Jews. His dress was poor, as became his poor condition. In imi- 
tation of Christ, the Saints, and especially all Religious, have dressed 
plainly. St. Fiances of Rome sold her silk dresses, and gave the price 
of them to the poor, reserving for herself only a garment of dark gray 
cloth, which looked so shabby, that her servants would have refused to 
wear it. St. Francis Xavier wore a habit of the poorest material, which 
was patched all over, and which he never laid off till it fell into pieces. 
St. Teresa, too, was very fond of poor clothes. When she saw a nun who 
had a poor habit, she exchanged hers for it. Imitate these Saints in so 
far, that you remain perfectly satisfied with your simple Religious hab- 
it, and would not exchange it for the most costly garments of seculars. 
— You need not be told, that in your dress, you must shun all desire of 
pleasing. The vain daughters of the world may adorn, decorate them- 
selves, and dress in the latest fashions, in order to please men ; you be- 
long to Jesus Christ ; he is your Bridegroom ; him, you must endeavor 
to please, by the purity of your hearts, and him alone. 

III. The Sister at her inorning prayers. 

1. The first part of the day, the morning, should be dedicated to the 
Lord in devout prayer. " The wise man will give his heart to resort 
early to the Lord that made him : and he will pray in the sight of the 
Most High. He will open his mouth in prayer, and will make supplica- 
tion for his sins." {Ecclus. 26 : 6, 7). We find that all pious people 
said their morning prayers with devotion. David says of himself : " O 
God, my God, to thee do I watch at break of day ; for thee, my heart 
thirsteth !" {Ps. 62 : 1, 2). When St. Francis heard the birds singing 
in the morning, he said to his companions k ' Oar winged brethren 
now praise the Lord, and chant hymns of thanksgiving for the day they 
have lived to see. Shall we permit ourselves to be put to shame by 
the birds ?" — St. Albert, patriarch of Jerusalem, declared morning prayer 
to be the first and most important duty ; " for," he said, '* he who does 
not begin the day with God, can not continue and end it with God." — 
A pious hermit used to say, that he knew in the morning, whether he 
would work with blessing and success during the day. If he said his 
morning prayers with devotion, everything went well ; but when he 
prayed negligently, everything went wrong. — 

2. Let us never fail, then, to make daily a good, devout, morning 
prayer. In such a prayer, it is required, that we 



Second Series ; First Day. — Meditation II. 



97 



(a) Adore God. If we enter a house in which, among other persons, 
there is a great lord, we pay our respects first to him. Thus, in the 
morning, we must salute first God, the Lord of heaven and earth, and 
adore him with reverence. We should do what the Angels and Saints do 
in heaven, of whom we read, in the Apocalypse, that they fall down before 
him who is sitting on the throne, adoring him, and saying : " Worthy 
art thou, O Lord, our God, to receive honor, and glory, and power, 
for ever and ever." 

(b) We must thank him. He, it is, who has protected us during the 
night, and strengthened us with sleep. Many others may have had a 
restless night, and, through sickness or extreme pain, could not close an 
eye, nor sleep a minute. Others, again, may have suffered from some 
terrible calamity during the night ; a fire may have broken out, or even 
death itself entered the chamber, leaving its inmates cold and stiff in 
bed. All this could have happened to you. Now, when God has 
graciously protected you during the night, and given you a comforta- 
ble rest, is it not meet and just that, in the morning, you should thank 
him from the bottom of your heart ? 

(c) We must implore his mercy a?id favor. We stand in constant need 
of God's favor and protection, for body and soul. What, then, is more 
necessary, than to beseech him, every morning, to avert from us all that 
could injure us for time or eternity, and to give us the grace to make use 
of the day for his honor, and the salvation of our soul ? 

(a) We must make good resolutions. We are liable to sin every day ; 
for the three enemies of our salvation, the world, the flesh, and the 
devil, are indefatigable in their exertions to draw us into perdition. 
We must, therefore, daily, in the morning, make the firm resolution to 
watch over all our thoughts, words, and actions, that we may preserve 
ourselves from sin. If we are determined to carefully avoid all, even 
venial sins, we may hope, that God will assist us with his grace to over- 
come all temptation, and to preserve our conscience unstained. 

(<?) We must make a good intention. If we wish our labors, exercises 
of virtue, and good works to become meritorious for eternity, they must 
be performed with a good^intention , that is, for God's greater honor 
and love. Without this good intention, whatever we may do during 
the day, be it ever so excellent, would be worthless, and without value 
before God. Let us, then, never omit, in the morning, to make a good 
intention, according to the admonition of the Apostle : " Whether you 
eat or drink, or whatever else you do ; do all things for the glory of 
God." (/. Cor. 10 : 31). 



9 s 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



(/) W e must invoke the protection and intercession of the Blessed Virgin, 
and of the Angels and Saints. Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and our good 
Mother, has the power and the will to obtain all things for us from God. 
Let us, therefore, daily recommend ourselves to her maternal protection. 
The Angels and Saints, and particularly, our Guardian Angels and Pa- 
tron Saints, are our best friends and intercessors before the throne of 
God ; let us daily, in the morning, have recourse to them, asking them, 
with confidence, to obtain of God what is good and salutary for us. 

(g) We must pray for the living and the dead. To do this, Christian 
love and gratitude oblige us. Pray every morning for the children com- 
mitted to your care, and recommend them to the Blessed Virgin, to their 
Guardian Angels and Patron Saints, that God may bless your labors in 
their behalf, and enable you to teach them to become good, virtuous 
Christians. 

IV. The Sister at her meditation. 

i. Meditation belongs to the morning prayer of Religious, and is the 
most important part of it. St. Alphonsus Liguori considers it very diffi- 
cult, nay, so to say, impossible, for a person to be a good Religious, who 
does not practise interior prayer, or meditation. Without meditation, 

one is, 

(a) Without light. The eternal truths are of an entirely spiritual na- 
ture. They cannot be seen with the eye of the body, but only with the 
eye of the soul. He, therefore, who does not meditate, does not see the im- 
portance of salvation, and the means which we must employ in order to 
be saved. Many souls are lost, because they neglect to meditate on the 
great affair of salvation. " With desolati jn," says Jeremiah, " is all the 
land made desolate, because there is none that considereth in his heart." 
(12 : n). On the contrary, we are assured, that he who has the truths 
of faith before his eyes, and meditates, especially on death, judgment, 
heaven, and hell, shall never fall into sin. " In all thy works, remember 
thy last end, and thou shalt never sin." {Eccles. 7 : 40). 

(b) Without meditation, one lacks strength to overcome temptations, and 
to practise virtue. In the Canticles (3 : 5), we read, that the heavenly 
Bridegroom commanded that the repose of his bride should not be dis- 
turbed. " I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem . . . that you 
do not stir up, nor awake my beloved, till she please." The words : 
Till she please, indicate, that the holy repose which a soul enjoys in med- 
itation, is necessary to the spiritual life. He who cannot rest and sleep > 



Second Series ; First Day. — Meditation II. 99 



has no strength for work ; he can make no progress, on account of his 
fatigue. In like manner, he who does not rest, and seek strength in med- 
itation, is not able to practise virtue and overcome temptation, and event- 
ually, will surely fall. We read in the life of the venerable Mary Cru- 
cifixa, that, one day, while praying, she perceived how the devil gloried 
in having kept a Sister from the general meditation, and how he had at- 
tempted her to a grievous sin, to which she was in the greatest danger of 
consenting. The pious Mary hastened to this afflicted Sister, and aided 
her, with God's help, to overcome the temptation. From this, you may 
learn, how dangerous it is for Religious to neglect meditation. St. Te- 
resa says, that he who neglects meditation, needs no devil to plunge him 
into the depths of hell, for he plunges himself therein. What an impor- 
tant exercise, then, is meditation ! And how much depends on it ! 

2. How must we meditate, that we may derive advantage from this 
holy exercise ? You can answer this question for yourselves, since you 
daily practise mental prayer. I shall offer only a few short suggestions. 
As you are aware, meditation consists of three parts : 

(a) The first part is the preparation, which especially consists, in plac- 
ing ourselves in the presence of God. This may be done in two ways ; 
first, by representing God to our mind, as he looks down upon us, and 
pays attention to what we think, speak, and do ; or, by considering that 
God is before us, that he is in us, and we, in him. Having thus placed 
ourselves in the presence of God, and removed all worldly thoughts from 
our mind, we humble ourselves most profoundly before him, adore him, 
and ask him for light, and strength of will, to make our meditation for 
his glory and our spiritual advantage. To this end, we say an Our Fa- 
ther and a Hail Mary. 

(b) The second part consists in the consideration of, or the reflection on, 
the subject of meditation. The manner of this consideration differs ac- 
cording to different subjects. If we meditate on a mystery of Jesus 
Christ, — for instance, on his sufferings, — we consider : Who is it that suf- 
fers. What he suffers. Where he suffers. How he suffers. Why 
he suffers. — If we make a meditation on a virtue, we should consider 
in what it consists ; how it manifests itself ; how beautiful, lovely, use- 
ful, and necessary it is ; what means we must employ in order to prac- 
tise it ; when, where, and how, we should practise it. — If we occupy 
ourselves with the meditation of a vice, we should represent to ourselves 
its malice, perniciousness, and evil consequences for time and eternity ; 
and meditate on the means necessary to avoid it. 

{c) The third part consists of pious aspirations and resolutions, which 



IOO 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



must necessarily be united with the meditation, if it is to contribute to 
our amendment and perfection. Having meditated on one point, we 
make pious aspirations, just as the heart suggests ; we humble ourselves 
before God, repent of our sins, and ask his pardon and mercy ; we thank 
him for the graces and benefits he has bestowed upon us ; and assure 
him of our love, confidence, and resignation to his will. Then, come 
our good resolutions, which form the most important part of the medita- 
tion. These resolutions are general and particular. General resolu- 
tions are, for instance, not to commit sin, at least, no mortal sin ; to 
fulfil the duties of religion and of our state of life ; to love God above 
all. These general resolutions are, indeed, good, and we should make 
them at every meditation ; but we should not content ourselves with 
these, but make also particular resolutions ; for instance, on this or that 
occasion, to bridle our tongue ; to practise meekness in a certain case ; 
to avoid familiarity with a certain person, etc. These particular reso- 
lutions are absolutely necessary for a profitable meditation. Do not 
make many resolutions at a time, but, as a rule, only one ; — renew it 
frequently during the day, but especially, when you are in danger of 
breaking it. Meditation is concluded with thanksgiving, consecration, 
and petition. We thank God for the inspirations, good thoughts, and sal- 
utary suggestions he has vouchsafed us ; we consecrate to him all that 
we are and have, especially, the good resolutions which we have made ; 
and, finally, we beseech him to enable us, by his grace, to execute faith- 
fully those good resolutions. — This will suffice on meditation. Let 
me recommend to you this excellent means of virtue. The more fer- 
vently you practise daily meditation, or mental prayer, the more the in- 
ordinate love of self and of the world, will depart from your heart, and 
give place to the love of God ; the more fervently you will serve God, 
and the greater will be the perfection at which you will arrive. 

V. The Sister at Holy Mass. 

The morning consecration to God ends with Holy Mass, at which you 
daily assist. As you well know, the Sacrifice of the Mass is the holiest ac- 
tion of the Catholic Church, the crown of Christian worship, the inex- 
haustible fountain-head and source of all graces. This august Sacrifice 
is nothing else than the perpetual, unbloody renewal of the bloody sac- 
rifice of Christ on the Cross. In the Holy Mass, we have the same 
Priest and the same Sacrifice, as in that of Mount Calvary. In 
both, Jesus Christ is both Priest and Victim ; the human priest being 
only the instrument through which Christ offers himself. St. Alphon- 
sus says : " In every Holy Mass, the work of our redemption is renewed : 
so that, if Christ had not died on the Cross, the world could, by the 



Second Series ; First Day. — Meditation III. 



celebration of one Mass, obtain the same benefit which tlv c^ath of 
Christ has acquired for it." Therefore, always assist at Mass with pro- 
found veneration and devotion, that you may participate in the fruits 
of this great Sacrifice. Keep your thoughts recollected, and guard 
your eyes, in order to preserve yourselves as much as possible from all 
distractions. Pray for all the graces necessary for salvation, especially, 
for the remission of your sins, and of the punishments due to them; for 
strength to overcome temptation, for success in your undertakings, and 
for final perseverance in virtue and in your holy vocation. In the Holy 
Mass, Jesus sits upon his throne of grace, ready to impart to us all that 
is good and salutary for us, if we but pray to him with devotion and con- 
fidence. 

These are the sacred exercises wherewith you must begin the day. 
Examine yourselves, and see whether you have hitherto done all that a 
good Sister should do each morning ; and whether you have made to God 
an acceptable offering of the day. If, in this examination, you discover 
faults, make the resolution to amend. When the signal to rise is 
given, rise without delay, occupy yourselves with pious thoughts while 
dressing, and make short, ejaculatory prayers. Say a recollected, de- 
vout, morning prayer, and employ the time of meditation diligently, ob- 
serving therein what is required, in order to profit by it. Always assist 
at Mass with the most profound veneration and devotion, and ask our 
heavenly Father, to grant you, through the merits of Jesus Christ his Son, 
whatever you need for time and eternity. If you begin the day in this 
manner, God will be with you, and he will give you the grace to spend 
the entire day to his honor, and for the salvation of your souls. 



MEDITATION III. 

THE SISTER IN THE FULFILMENT OF THE DUTIES OF HER STATE. 

There is a saying : " All roads lead to Rome." This is true. Wherever 
one may be, there is always a way leading to Rome, if one but take it. 
—We can use this proverb also in a spiritual sense, and say : i( All 
roads lead to heaven." In other words : One can work out his salva- 
tion in every state of life ; for, "God will have all men to be saved, and 
to come to the knowledge of the truth." (/. Tim. 2 : 4). In every 
station in life, there have been Saints, who now enjoy everlasting happi- 



T02 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



ness in heaven. Louis IX. of France, Canute, and Leopold once wore 
earthly crowns ; and now, the heavenly crown adorns their brows. Pe- 
ter, Gregory the Great, Leo I., Willibald, and Florinus belonged to the 
priesthood, and are now in heaven. Zachary and Elizabeth, Henry and 
Cunigundis, Hedwige, Monica, and Frances of Rome were married, and 
have found their place among the Saints in heaven. Hermenegild, 
Martha, and Petronilla led a single life, and we venerate them as Saints in 
heaven. Francis Xavier, Ignatius, Benedict, Teresa, and thousands of 
others, were Religious, who were admitted by God into heaven. But 
there are also many who are damned in every state. Taken all in all, 
the number of the damned, in fact, is greater than that of the blessed ; 
for Christ repeatedly assures us : i( Many are called, but few chosen." 
{Matt. 20 : 16). You, Sisters, belong to the Religious state, and can 
and should become holy in this state, and work out your salvation. How 
can this be done ? By conscientiously fulfilling the duties of your state. 
Let us, then, consider the Sister in the fulfilment of the duties of her state, 
and answer to ourselves the two following questions : 

I. Why, and 

II. Ifow, must we fulfil the duties of our state ? 
I. Why must we fulfil the duties of our state ? 

There are general duties and particular duties. General duties are 
those which all Christians, of whatever station in life they may be, must 
fulfil. Thus, all Christians are bound to observe the Commandments 
of God and the precepts of the Church, to avoid evil and to do good, 
and to make use of the means of grace instituted by Jesus Christ. 
Particular duties, are those which concern one's individual station, or 
relations in life. Thus, married persons and single persons, parents 
and children, masters and servants, clerics and seculars, the rich and the 
poor, have particular duties, which are called the duties of their state of 
life. I do not now speak of your general duties as Religious, such as 
of the Vows and the Rules, but only of those which you have to fulfil by 
reason of an office entrusted to you. Some of you are teachers in the 
school ; others, have special duties in the house, in the kitchen, garden, 
wash-house, infirmary. It is to these special duties, we will now direct 
our attention. Why must we fulfil these duties of our state ? I answer, 

i. Because it is the will of God. The duties of religion and of one's 
state are equally obligatory. A mortal sin is committed by the neglect of 
an important duty of religion, or of one's state. The Sacred Scripture 
contains numberless instances of what heavy punishment God inflicts 



Second Series ; First Day. — Meditation III. 



103 



upon those who neglect the duties of their state. How severely, did he 
not punish Jonas, because he was unfaithful to his duty, and refused 
to preach penance to the Ninivites ! By the prophet Isaias, God se- 
verely reproves those superiors, teachers, and priests, who neglect their 
duties, and do not endeavor to put a stop to the vices of the people. 
He calls them " blind watchmen, dumb dogs not able to bark, seeing 
vain things, sleeping, and loving dreams," (Is. 56 : 10) ; and in the 
strongest expressions, he announces to them their perdition. (Is. 57 : 
12, 13). What happened to the high-priest Heli, who neglected his 
duties as a father, and did not punish his two wicked sons, Ophni and 
Phinees, for their crimes in the tent ? You know, that the sons were 
slain in battle, that Heli himself fell backwards from his chair, and 
broke his neck, and that the priesthood was taken from his family for- 
ever. And how earnest was the threat made to the bishop of Sard is, 
because he did not keep a vigilant eye upon his congregation : " If 
thou shalt not watch, I will come to thee as a thief ; and thou shalt 
not know at what hour I will come to thee." (Apoc. 3 : 3). 

Behold, what a strict account God demands of the duties of one's 
state, and how solicitous you should be to fulfil these duties, that you 
may be able to give an account of them. If we priests should live a 
pious life for ourselves, but should neglect to preach, to hear confes- 
sions, to superintend the schools, and in general, neglect our duties as 
pastors of souls, we would be rejected by God as negligent pastors. 
The same must be said of you. If those who are teachers among you, 
should neglect their work in the schools, and the Sisters employed 
in other departments, their respective duties, they would sin grievously 
against the duties of their state, and run the risk of eternal damnation. 
Reflect seriously on this. 

2. We must fitlfil the duties of our state > because the good of society de- 
ma/ids it. Human society resembles a vast body, of which each individ- 
ual is a member. When all the members of the body are sound, and 
each attends to its functions, the whole body is well ; but when one 
member is sick, and either can not perform its functions at all, or only 
imperfectly, the whole body becomes disordered, and is more or less 
hindered in its actions. How sensibly the whole body feels it, when an 
eye, an ear, a hand, or a foot, refuses its service ! Thus it is, in human so- 
ciety. If all its members do their duty, all goes well ; but if one or 
the other neglects the duties assigned him, society as a whole, is more 
or less painfully affected. 

We read of Joseph, the son of Jacob, that, during the time of plenty, 
he stored away immense quantities of grain, wherewith he richly sup- 
plied not only the wants of the natives, but of foreigners also, during the 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



seven years of famine. If it had not been for Joseph, millions of peo- 
ple would certainly have died of hunger. But ultimately, to whom are 
thanks due for the great benefit conferred by Joseph upon Egypt ? To 
his father, Jacob. For, had he brought him up badly, he would never 
have become governor of Egypt, nor effected all the good he did in that 
office. We see the same in Samuel, the judge of the people of Israel. 
The only care of his parents was to give him a good education ; and 
for that purpose, they brought him in his tender years to the high-priest 
Heli, to serve the Lord in the Temple. What excellent results we see 
of this parental solicitude ! Samuel not only led a holy life himself, 
but also brought the people who had fallen away from God, back to the 
way of penance ; and thousands were indebted to him for their salva- 
tion. We know just the reverse of the sons of Heli. They were not 
only degenerate and impious, but also seduced the people to sacrifice 
no more to the Lord. (/. Kings 2 : 17). But who was the cause of 
the degeneracy of sons and people alike ? Heli. If he had severely, 
and in time, chastised his Avicked boys, as was his duty, they would 
have amended their lives, and would not have withdrawn others from 
the service of the Lord. — As the Gospel relates, our divine Lord com- 
manded his Apostles to preach the Gospel to all nations. The Apostles, 
faithful to their calling, did as Christ had commanded them ; they went 
into the whole world, and preached the Gospel. They lived to see 
thousands of Jews and Gentiles embrace the Christian faith, and thus, 
work out their salvation. Suppose, the Apostles had neglected the 
duty of their state, and not preached the Gospel, — would they, in that 
supposition, have converted as many ? Never. Humanly speaking, not 
one Jew or Gentile would have asked to be baptized, and the Christian 
religion would have disappeared with the Apostles, without leaving a 
trace behind. — From this, you perceive, how much depends upon the ful- 
filment of our respective duties. The welfare of thousands, yea, mill- 
ions, depends on it. Do not believe that, because you are separated from 
the world, it matters little, whether you fulfil your respective duties or 
not. Why should not your labors in the school have the greatest influ- 
ence upon human society, when you instruct the children not only in 
various branches of secular knowledge, but also lead them to virtue and 
piety, and implant the fear of God in their hearts ? Will not such 
children, even in their youth, be an edification to others, by their good 
example ? And is there not great reason to hope, that when once they 
become heads of families, they will do a great deal of good in their 
domestic sphere ? But, if you negligently fulfil your duties in the school, 
and cause the degeneracy of the children entrusted to your charge, 
how much evil may arise therefrom, not only for individual families but 
for whole communities. — The same may be said of the Sisters who do 



Second Series ; First Day.— Meditation. III. 105 



the work of the house. It is true, their labors are domestic, but just 
by doing faithfully their humble work, as Mary wrought for Jesus and Jo- 
seph in Nazareth, they enable the school-Sisters the better to fulfil their 
duties as teachers ; they indirectly co-operate in the instruction and 
education of the children ; and, if they do their housework well, they 
share in all the good which the teaching Sisters do in the schools. 
Should not this consideration stimulate you all to perform conscien- 
tiously your respective duties ? 

3. You must fulfil the duties of your state, because Obedience obliges you 
thereto. Religious are more strictly bound to the fulfilment of the du- 
ties of their state, than ordinary Christians. Having made the vow of 
Obedience, they have bound themselves thereby, to whatever their su- 
periors and the rules command. Religious have, therefore, a double 
duty : the duty of their state of life, (as for all Christians), and the duty 
of Obedience, which they have vowed. If you conscientiously fulfil the 
duties of your state, you have a double merit, — the special merit of 
Obedience, in addition to the general merit ; but if you should neglect 
your duties, you would render yourselves doubly guilty before God — be- 
cause you would sin not only against the duties of your state in gen- 
eral, but also against the vow of Obedience. This, certainly, should be 
reason enough for you, not to grow weary in executing whatever your 
state of life enjoins upon you as a duty. 

II. How are we to fulfil the duties of our state ? 

We are to fulfil them, 

1. With fervor. What admirable zeal, Jesus Christ manifested in 
that work wherewith his heavenly Father had entrusted him — the work 
of our redemption ! He says of himself : " My food is to do the will 
of him that sent me, that I may perfect his work." {John 4 : 34). As 
a hungry man longs for food, so Christ longed to do all that was neces- 
sary for our redemption, according to the will of his heavenly Father. 
How zealously, he preached the Gospel during all the time of his pub- 
lic ministry ! Not only in the temple of Jerusalem and in the syna- 
gogues, but also in private houses, at banquets, in public places, on the 
streets, in solitude, and in ships, he erected his pulpit, as it were, and 
preached the word of God. How zealous he was, when there was 
question of converting sinners and saving souls ! He compares him- 
self to a shepherd, who seeks the lost sheep till he finds it, takes it upon 
his shoulders, and carrying it home, calls upon his friends to rejoice 
with him over the sheep that is found. He waits upon the Samaritan 



io6 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



woman, in order to lead her and her countrymen to penance, and to 
rescue them from perdition. He visits the house of Zaccheus, that 
salvation may enter with him. He defends the adulteress, and pardons 
the great sinner, Mary Magdalene ; and finally, he takes the cross upon 
his shoulders, and dies upon it for the redemption of sinful man. Be- 
hold, with what fervor Christ executed what his vocation as Saviour of 
the world enjoined upon him ! Should not his example stimulate you 
to fulfil zealously the duties of your state ? With what zeal the Saints 
were animated, to fulfil their duties, and to gain souls ! St. Paul so 
much desired the conversion of the Jews, that, in the superabundance 
of his zeal, he even wished to become anathema, if, thereby, he could 
save them. When St. Dunstan, on the feast of the Ascension, was in- 
vited by the Angels to enter into eternal life, he prayed for the prolong- 
ation of his earthly life, in order to become useful to his brethren, and 
to save their souls for heaven. When Pope St. Pius V. was cautioned 
by his physicians, to moderate his many labors, because of his delicate 
health, he replied : "I became Pope to rule the Church of God, and 
not to be anxiously solicitous for my health !" O, how a like zeal should 
animate us to fulfil zealously our respective duties ! 

2. We must fulfil these duties with patience. Herein, Jesus Christ 
gives us a most beautiful example. How much forbearance he had 
with his disciples, who were so indocile, and infected with many faults. 
He always had patience with them, treated them with the greatest kind- 
ness and indulgence, and when he saw himself under the necessity of re- 
buking them earnestly, he did sd with love, and for their instruction 
and benefit. How great was his patience in all the sufferings and 
tribulations of his life! Under manifold hardships and privations, he 
went from place to place, and unceasingly preached the Gospel. He 
was followed in great numbers, by people who sought conversion and 
help from him, and <they hardly ever gave him any rest ; yet, not a word 
of impatience ever passed his lips. He bore with perfect patience and 
resignation to the will of his Father, the hardships incident to his voca- 
tion. Even the extreme ingratitude which he so often experienced from 
men, and the countless persecutions and sufferings which were heaped 
upon him, were not able to shake his patience. 

Endeavor also, herein, to imitate your divine Saviour. Every state of 
life has its troubles and trials. This may also be said of your state. 
Those, especially, who labor in the school, have to contend with many 
difficulties, and to endure many disagreeable things. The children with 
whom you have to deal, are often very dull of comprehension, or cf limit- 
ed capacity ; and you have to labor hard, in order to impart to them even 
the most necessary knowledge. Others are flighty, wild, or self-willed. 



Second Series ; First Day. — Meditation III. 



107 



Even from the parents of the children you have, at times, to endure un- 
pleasant things ; for, instead of assisting and sustaining you in the ed- 
ucation of their children, they work against you, get angry, and give vent 
to calumnies against you, when their little good-for-nothings are treated — 
as they think — a little too severely. In such cases, you need patience, 
much patience, in order not to lose courage, and grow careless. But 
persevere steadfastly. By continual patience in your calling, you will 
overcome many difficulties, labor with great fruit, and acquire many 
merits for heaven. 

3. We must fulfil the same duties of our state with confidence. Again, 
look upon Jesus. How much he labored, and how small was the fruit 
of his labor ! After having preached the Gospel throughout Judea for 
three years without interruption, after having worked wonders without 
number, and conferred benefits of every kind, the number of his 
faithful followers was surprisingly small. The people, in general, per- 
severed in unbelief ; they even went so far as to hate and persecute him 
to death. How did Jesus act in this regard ? Did he lose courage, and 
say : c< It is of no use. The people do not mind me ; they persevere in 
sin and unbelief. Therefore, on their account, I shall not, for the future, 
expose myself to so much inconvenience and trouble. I will teach and 
work miracles no longer"? Ah no, he constantly persevered in his holy 
calling, and labored for the salvation of men until his death on the 
cross. 

You must do the same. You must stand firm in confidence, and 
continue to work, as if everything were prospering satisfactorily. Why ? 
For more than one reason. Often, our labor seems useless for the mo- 
ment, but the fruits manifest themselves after a while. It resembles a 
seed which, when put into the ground, seems to decay, but eventually 
springs up, grows, thrives, and brings forth fruit in abundance. Was it 
not thus with the work of Christ ? With all his labor, and preaching, 
and working of miracles, he seemed to accomplish but little ; yet, how 
grand the success which ultimately crowned his work ! Even in the 
time of the Apostles, great congregations arose among the Jews and Gen- 
tiles ; and the Church, which, after the death of Christ, had room 
enough in the Cenacle, and numbered only one hundred and twenty per- 
sons, — in a few years, was spread all over the globe. It is, therefore, not 
necessary that great and palpable success should attend your labors. 
If only one or two children under your care become good, and attain their 
temporal and eternal destiny, you have accomplished much that is well 
worth the greatest sacrifice. Finally, you must not forget, that you 
serve a Lord, who accepts the will for the deed. If you labor with pa- 
tience, and as well as you can, God will be satisfied with you, and give 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



you heaven as a recompense, even if you should have done nothing re- 
markable. Only have courage and confidence. Be like the soldier in 
battle, who continues to fire into the enemy's ranks, no matter whether 
he hits his man or not, for he knows that not the hitting, but only the 
shooting is required of him. 

4. We must do our duties for the ho?ior of God. Whatever our divine 
Saviour did upon earth for the salvation of men, was done for the honor 
of his heavenly Father. Hence, he assured the Jews, that he was not 
seeking his own glory in what he did, but the honor of his Father. 
{John 8 : 49, 50). Let us also, herein, imitate our dear Lord, and in all 
we do, let us seek the glory of God : " Whether you eat or drink, or 
whatever else you do ; do all things for the glory of God." (/. Cor. 
10 : 31). God has created us for his honor ; to glorify him, is our des- 
tiny for time and eternity. We also know, that only that which is done 
for God's honor, will be meritorious for heaven. If, in our actions, we 
detract from God, and thereby do not seek his honor, but our own, we 
shall share the fate of the Scribes and Pharisees, of whom Christ de- 
clared, that they had already received their reward. He who does good 
works to please men, resembles a man who continually draws water, but 
pours it into a bottomless barrel. Even the desired progress and success 
of our labor depends on the good intention, for God is accustomed to 
bless only those labors and undertakings which are done for his honor. 
In all you do, especially in your teaching, do not seek human praise, 
honor, or reputation before the world, but the honor of God ; and deem 
yourselves happy, if you can do something for his glory. Make a good 
intention in the morning, and renew it again and again during the day, 
especially, when you are tempted to vanity or impatience. " All for the 
greater honor of God !" or, " May God be honored in all things !" 

5. Finally, we must perform the duties of our state with prayer. How 
fervently Jesus prayed ! Before he began his public career, he retired 
into the desert, and remained there in prayer for forty days. And how 
often it happened that, having been occupied with preaching and work- 
ing miracles the whole day, he retired in the evening into solitude, on 
a mountain apart, and there prayed the whole night ! During the last 
week of his life, he slept no more ; he went daily to Mount Olivet, 
and spent the whole night in prayer. It was whilst praying there, that 
he was apprehended ; and praying, he bowed his head on the cross 
and gave up the ghost. Do what your Saviour did ; be fervent in 
prayer. Begin your day's work with prayer, and end it with prayer. 
By devout and fervent prayer, you can obtain every blessing from God, 
and especially, that of laboring in your vocation with profit and sue- 



Second Series ; Second Day. — Meditation I. 



109 



cess. Christ does not say in vain : (i All things whatsoever you shall 
ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive. (Mait. 21 ■ 22). 

According to his example, labor, then, in your vocation, with devoted- 
ness and joy, as long as you live. Do everything that is required of 
you with fervor and fidelity ; and do not regard the hardships connected 
with the faithful fulfilment of the duties of your state. The greater 
your labor, the more glorious will be your reward. Always preserve 
patience, considering, that the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, 
and only the violent bear it away. Patience conquers everything. 
Place all your confidence in God, who will surely assist you to succeed 
in your undertaking. He who trusts in God, builds upon a solid foun- 
dation. The honor of God must be the motive of all your actions. 
Say often with the royal prophet : " Not" to us, O Lord, not to us ; but to 
thy name give glory." (Ps. 113 : 9). Finally, in all your works have 
recourse to prayer ; and ask God, with confidence and fervor, to 
give his blessing to all you do, to be with you, and in you, in the fulfil- 
ment of your respective duties here, and hereafter, to receive you as 
his faithful servants into the joys of heaven. 



SECOND DAY. 



MEDITATION I. 

THE SISTER'S COMMUNITY-LIFE. 

You know what St. Jerome says of St. John, the favorite disciple of 
Christ. When age and weakness grew upon him, so that he was no 
longer able to make long discourses to the people at Ephesus, his dis- 
ciples carried him, with great difficulty, to the assembly of the faithful ; 
and on every occasion, he said to them only these words : " My dear 
children, love one another." When his hearers, wearying of the mo- 
notony, asked him, why he always repeated the same words, he replied : 
" Because it is the precept of the Lord, and if you comply with it, you 
do enough." And so it is. The love of our neighbor is a precept of 
the Lord, — a precept, like to the precept of the love of God ; for Christ 
emphatically assures us : " The second commandment is like to this : 



no 



\ Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." (Matt. 22: 39). It is enough, 
if we fulfil the precept which requires us to love our neighbor ; for he 
who loves his neighbor, loves God, and he who loves God, walks in the 
way of perfection. Tins mutual love is, undoubtedly, sufficient to ena- 
ble you to fulfil the duties which are peculiar to community-life. If 
you love each other in a Christian manner, then peace and concord 
will always reign in your midst ; you will bear the faults and infirmities 
of your companions with patience, support one another in your various 
necessities, and sincerely endeavor to lead one another on in the path 
that leads to heaven. Having in view the Sister in community-life, I 
shall answer two questions : 

I. Why should Religious love one another ? and 

II. Mow should they love one another ? 

I. Why should Religious love one another ? 
Religious must love one another, 

1. Because Jesus Christ most emphatically commands it. He declares 
the love of our neighbor 

(a) To be his commandment, saying : " This is my command?nnt, that 
you love one another." (John 15 : 12). Why does Christ call the love 
of the neighbor his commandment ? Has he given us no other com- 
mandments ? O yes, he has given us many other commandments, — as 
we read in the Gospel, — for example, the commandment to pray, and to 
be meek and humble of heart, to deny ourselves, and to carry the cross, 
etc. Or, does he not insist upon our keeping his other commandments ? 
Who could arrest this ? We must keep all of them. If we transgress 
only one, in an important matter, we commit a grievous sin, and forfeit 
heaven. Why, then, does Christ declare the love of our neighbor to be 
his commandment ? For nor other reason, than because he has this com- 
mandment especially at heart ; and because he most strictly requires us to 
keep it. If, therefore, you would not love another, but would live in 
discord, you would act directly contrary to the favorite commandment 
of Christ, to that command which is, as it were, the apple of his eye. 
How deeply would such conduct offend him ! 

(b) Christ declares this to be a new com?nandme?it. " I give you anew 
commandment : That you love one another." (John 13 : 34). God 
had already inscribed the commandment of the love of the neighbor in the 
heart of every man ; moreover, he expressly gave this commandment to 



Second Series ; Second Day. — Meditation I. in 



the Israelites ; it is, therefore, not new, but as old as the human race. And 
yet, Christ calls it anew commandment, because, we Christians, have new 
motives for it, and are to observe it in a new and perfect manner. In the 
Old Law, men loved one another as creatures of God, or as descendants 
of Abraham ; their love was restricted and imperfect. We, Christians, 
must love our neighbor as a child of God, as a brother in Christ, as the 
companion of our future happiness and glory. We must love him ac- 
cording to the example of Christ, who, as the Apostle says, has loved 
us and has given himself for us as a victim. In this sense, fraternal 
love is a new commandment. Recognize herein, again, a very impor- 
tant motive for sincerely loving your Sisters in Religion ; for, if Christ had 
not intended to engrave the love of our neighbor upon our mind in a 
particular manner, he would not have made it a new commandment. 

(c) Christ declares the love of the neighbor to be a mark whereby we are 
known as his disciples. " By this all men shall know that you are my 
disciples, if you have love one for another." {John 13: 35). As princes 
and noblemen are accustomed to give their servants a livery, that every 
one may know them as their servants, — so Christ also wished love for 
the neighbor to be the distinguishing sign, or livery, of his faithful ser- 
vants. It was this fraternal charity which the pagans admired so much 
in the early Christians. " Behold," they said, " how much these Chris- 
tians love one another, how one is ready to die for the other ; they 
seem to be begotten only by one and the same father, and brought 
forth by one and the same mother ; neither language, nor nation, nor 
the proper customs of the country, nor difference of birth, separates 
them from one another !" During the time of persecution, the Chris- 
tians frequently betrayed themselves to their enemies by their love of 
the neighbor. When the Gentiles found one who especially distin- 
guished himself by works of charity, they said : "This must be a 
Christian, for the people of our persuasion have not such charity." 
And they did not deceive themselves, for when they asked : " Are you 
a Christian ?" they were answered in the affirmative. St. Chrysostom here 
appropriately remarks : "There are many marks of Christianity, but 
the most excellent, is mutual charity." Sisters, you make the sign of the 
Cross, you recite the Rosary, you go to confession and Communion ; 
all these are marks of a Catholic Christian, but all these marks profit you 
nothing without the principal mark, — Charity. If you entertain ran- 
cor or aversion in your hearts against any of your companions, you do not 
belong to Christ. He will say to you, as he did to the foolish virgins 
of the parable : " I know you not." Reflect on this. — 

2. We must love one another, because, without the love of the neighbor, no 



ii2 - ■ A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 

good work is pleasing to God. Christ gives us to understand this in the 
words : " If thou offerest thy gift at the altar, and there shalt remem- 
ber that thy brother hath anything against thee, leave there thy gift be- 
fore the altar, and first go to be reconciled to thy brother, and then 
come and offer thy gift." {Matt. 5 : 23, 24). From the beginning, 
sacrifice was very acceptable to God, because men offered it to pay him 
homage as their sovereign Lord, to thank him for his benefits and graces, 
and to petition him, in the humility of their hearts, for everything they 
needed. The most acceptable of all sacrifices to God, is the Sacrifice 
of the Mass, because in it, Jesus Christ, his well-beloved Son, is offered 
to him. This thrice-holy Sacrifice, however, he would not accept from 
our hands, nor would he allow it to afford us grace and salvation, if we 
were to offer it with hearts- destitute of the love of our neighbor. — The 
venerable Thomas a Kempis relates a remarkable incident. ■ A young 
man assisting at the Sacrifice of the Mass, did not see the sacred Host. 
He believed this to be caused either by the weakness of his eyes, or be- 
cause he knelt at a distance from the altar. Drawing nearer, he placed 
himself quite close to the priest who celebrated the Mass. But in vain ; 
he could not see the holy Host in the hands of the priest. This won- 
derful occurrence was repeated every day for two years. Finally, he 
became troubled, went to a priest, and, in confession, revealed to him 
this circumstance. The confessor, having carefully questioned him, 
found that he bore hatred against his neighbor, and during all that 
long time, would not forgive him. He, therefore, said to him : " My 
son, I perceive, that you nourish in your heart an obstinate aversion 
for your neighbor, and this is the reason why the holy Host is hidden 
from your eyes. Being deprived of Christian charity, Jesus Christ 
wishes to give you to understand by this miracle, that you have no part 
in the Sacrifice, although you assist at it." The young man entered 
into himself, forgave his enemy from his heart, and then received abso- 
lution. On the next day, when he again assisted at Mass, he, like the 
other faithful, saw the Host in the hands of the priest. Thus, God 
wished to show, that the holy Sacrifice of the Mass is offered to him, 
and assisted at, without fruit or profit, if one entertains ill-will against 
his neighbor. Sisters, if you would refuse to love each other with 
a Christian love, if you live in strife and mutual dissensions, the prayers 
you say, the holy Masses at which you assist, the Communions you 
make, — in a word, all your pious exercises and good works, are without 
value or profit before God, and you cannot expect the least reward. 
What a calamity it would be, then, were strife and dissension to arise 
in your midst ! 

3. You must love each other, because you are Religious. — St. John Cli- 



Second Series ; Second Day. — Meditation I. 



macus relates, that in the vicinity of Alexandria, there was a renowned 
monastery, the inhabitants of which enjoyed a heavenly peace, because a 
sincere and holy charity reigned therein. If it sometimes happened, 
that one complained of another, the first who noticed it, reconciled them 
by a mere sign. But if, upon this sign, they refused to be friendly, they 
were sent in exile to a neighboring house ; for they said : " Two such 
bad spirits are not fit for our monastery !" — What a beautiful spectacle 
when the inmates of a convent speak well of, and assist each other, and 
when all live together in peace as sisters. It is for this reason that Re- 
ligious call one another brothers and sisters ; because, although not re- 
lated by ties of blood, yet they are Brothers and Sisters by the ties of 
fraternal charity. She who has no love, is a Sister only in name, not in 
reality. Not because of her good heart, but of her habit, she is called a 
Sister. 

St. Augustine says : " When you see that stone and wood hold to- 
gether in a house, you are not afraid to enter it, because there is no 
danger of its tumbling down. But when you notice that stone and wood 
separate from each other, you do not dare to set foot in it." " These 
words," says St. Alphonsus, " teach us, that those Religious houses are to 
be called blessed, whose inmates are all united in holy love ; but miserable 
those, where discord and dissensions reign. Such convents may be 
called a hell ; they are no longer the houses of God, but habitations and 
haunts of the devil ; no longer houses of salvation, but houses of per- 
dition O poorprayers, poor Masses, poor Communions ! For, where 

there is no charity, there is no recollection of spirit, no peace, and no 
God, to be found." The cross is there, but no Christ, no Comforter upon 
it. 

These few words may suffice to convince you, how careful you should 
be to cultivate fraternal charity, and prevent all dissensions in your midst. 

II. How should Religious love one another ? 

They should love one another, 

i. In the heart. Love, like every virtue, has its origin in the heart. 
All manifestations and expressions of love which do not proceed from 
the heart, are nothing else than appearance and deceit. They are the 
love of the Pharisees, who appeared to be the best friends of Christ, 
whilst secretly, they bitterly hated him and plotted his death. This love 
in the heart requires, 

[a) That we have a benevolent disposition of ?nind towards our neigh- 
bor, wish him all that is good, rejoice at his prosperity, and grieve at his 
adversity. He, therefore, sins grievously against the love of the neigh- 



ii4 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



bor, who nourishes aversion towards any one, — if the aversion degener- 
ates into hatred, and goes so far as to wish him a great evil, or to rejoice 
in such an evil befalling him, or to desire to take revenge, if an opportu- 
nity presented itself. I do not believe that you have so great an aver- 
sion or hatred for any of your companions. Such an unchristian and 
perverse disposition, we do not often meet with even among seculars ; 
but you must carefully guard even against lesser aversions, — for these 
also are evil, because they are at least venial sins that rob the heart of 
peace. As long as you entertain the least aversion for any one, you will 
experience a certain kind of disquietude, which weakens your confidence 
in God, does not permit you to pray with the right fervor, and in general^ 
is a prejudice to all your religious exercises. Finally, such aversions 
are frequently the occasion of dissensions , for we can hardly avoid 
manifesting our dislike in word or deed, and so the peace of the com- 
munity is disturbed. Guard, then, against these lesser aversions ; labor 
with earnestness to eradicate them, and show yourselves particularly 
friendly to the objects of them, doing them acts of kindness as the 
opportunity offers. 

Since the Christian love of our neighbor consists especially in benev- 
olence, it requires also, that we take a warm interest in the joys and 
sorrows of our fellow-men, according to the admonition of the Apostle : 
u Rejoice with them that rejoice ; weep with them that weep." He 
who takes no interest in the weal or woe of his fellow-men, and to 
whom it is a matter of indifference whether they succeed or fail, re- 
sembles that Jewish priest and Levite, who left the man fallen among 
robbers, half-dead on the road-side, and passed by without any thought 
of assisting him in his necessity. Such coldness towards our neighbor, 
and especially, such mercilessness towards the afflicted and unfortunate, 
is most unchristian, and highly displeasing to God, wherefore, St. James 
also writes (2 : 13) : " Judgment without mercy, to him, who hath not 
done mercy." Therefore, manifest a lively and active interest in the 
weal and woe of all your Sisters, and sympathize with them, if any evil 
befalls them. True love of your neighbor requires this. 

(b) True love in the heart requires that we endeavor to banish from 
our mind all unjustifiable diffidence, and every groundless suspicion regard- 
ing our neighbor. We do wrong, if, upon doubtful reasons, we judge an- 
other guilty of sin ; the fault is the greater, if we entertain an unfounded 
suspicion ; we sin still more, if we believe without any reason, that one 
has committed a sin. I say : Without reason, for, if, for weighty reasons, 
we admit to ourselves, that another has committed a sin, — this, of course, 
is not wrong. It is, however, always better and more conformable to 
charity, to think well of all, and to banish every suspicion from our 



Second Series ; Second Day. — Meditation 1. 



mind, for "charity thinketh no evil." This, however, does not regard 
those Religious who are charged with the guidance of others, for they 
should be, in a manner, suspicious, in order as much as possible, to pre- 
vent and to put a stop to evil. But Religious who are not superiors, 
should always think well of others. — St. Catharine of Bologna said, 
one day : " Although I am many years in the Order, I have al- 
ways thought well of my Sisters, because I knew that although many a 
one seems to have some faults, yet she may be more acceptable to Gcd 
than others who exteriorly are very edifying." Imitate this Saint, and 
make it your rule to think well of every one, especially of your Sisters 
in Religion, until you are fully convinced of the contrary, mindful of the 
words of Christ : "Judge not, that you may not be judged." {Matt. 
7 = i). 

2. Religious must love each other with the tongue. If we sincerely love 
any one, we will surely say nothing injurious to his honor or offensive 
to him. Therefore, avoid 

(a) Slander. If the person you speak of, is absent, observe the rule 
which St. Mary Magdalen of Pazzi gave to her Sisters : " Do not say 
in the absence of a person, what you would not say in her presence." 
And if you hear evil reports of another, do not manifest any pleasure 
therein, but rather show by your conduct, that such discourses are dis- 
pleasing to you, and that it is painful to you to listen to them. As much 
as possible, take the part of those who are spoken ill of, and excuse 
the intention, if you can not excuse the action. — A certain Abbot was 
called the mantle of his brethren," for when this pious Religious heard 
others spoken ill of, his only endeavor was to cover their faults. The 
same is said of St. Teresa, who never failed to defend those who were 
attacked. — And why not ? Does not the greatest criminal find a de- 
fender before a human court ? 

(l>) Avoid sarcastic words and quarrels, " Do not unto others what 
you would not wish others to do unto you." No one wishes to be made 
the target of offensive witticisms or spiteful laughter ; hence, no one 
should apply these to others. You may allow yourselves innocent 
jests with one another, but you must take great care not to hurt any 
one's feelings, much less to offend. Avoid quarreling, as much as pos- 
sible. Sometimes, a quarrel is commenced about trifling things, and 
giving rise to offence, is followed by strife and discord. This is certainly 
wrong. The advice of St. Alphonsus is : "When you speak of things 
of no moment, you may express your opinion, if you see fit, in order to 
contribute to the conversation ; but after that, you must keep quiet, and 



n6 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



not pertinaciously defend your opinion ; for it is far better for you to 
yield, and to assent to what others say." — Yield to others whenever it 
can be done without sin. You must make sacrifices to peace and 
humility. 

(c) Avoid hard and harsh words. — St. Macarius, going one day up to 
the mountain of Nitria, told his disciple to walk a little ahead. Be- 
fore proceeding very far, he met an idolatrous priest walkingvery rap- 
idly, and carrying a piece of wood on his shoulder. On account of 
his quick motion, the disciple cried out to him, calling him a devil. 
Fired with indignation, the pagan priest knocked the disciple down, and 
left him half-dead. He then continued his way, and met St. Macarius, 
who addressed him with these friendly words : " Hail, my friend, 'nail !" 
The pagan priest was surprised, and said : "What good do you see in 
me, that you condescend to salute me ?" " Because you work hard," 
replied the saint. Moved by these friendly words, the pagan priest 
opened his heart to the influence of grace, and related to Macarius his 
meeting with the disciple ; and finally, prostrating himself at his feet, he 
fervently begged him to receive him as a disciple. After this, they 
looked after the brother, whom they carried as far as the monastery, be- 
cause he could not walk. The brothers were very much astonished to 
see a pagan priest with their Abbot. He soon received the Religious 
habit ; whereupon, many pagans embraced the Christian faith. For this 
reason, Macarius used to say : " A hard word can make even good peo- 
ple angry, but a mild word softens the heart even of wicked people." — 
Bear these words in mind. Always speak to your Sisters in a friendly 
tone, and refrain trom all harsh, repulsive conduct, that you may pre- 
serve peace among yourselves. 

3. Religious should love each other in deed. Charity is active, and 
renders assistance wherever it can. It does good to the neighbor upon 
every occasion. For this reason, the favorite disciple of our Lord ad- 
monishes us : " My little children, let us not love in word, nor in 
tongue, but in deed, and in truth." (/. John 3 : 18). If we are ani- 
mated by a true love for our neighbor, we will practise 

[a) The corporal works of mercy. — It is related of St. Teresa, that, 
every day, she was intent upon doing some act of charity or kindness to 
her Sisters, and if she chanced to neglect it for a whole day, she endeav- 
ored to supply for it in the evening ; wherefore, she watched for an oppor- 
tunity to hold the light to any of the. Sisters who passed her cell in the dark. 
— All pious Religious have acted in a like manner. They did acts of 
kindness to their fellow-men, and especially to their fellow-Religious, as 
often as they had an occasion. Do the same, and show yourselves kind 



Second- Series ;■ Second Day. — Meditation I. 117 



affable, and obliging towards all your companions, as often as an op- 
portunity presents itself. Such active love is not only very meritorious 
before God, but confirms also the bond of peace and concord. 

(J?) True love induces one to perform the spiritual works of mercy. 
These, you can practise in various ways. You may be called upon, 
perhaps, to reprove some one for a fault. Such a correction, if admin- 
istered with prudence and mildness, is often followed by the best re- 
sults. The erring one comes to the knowledge of her faults, repents of 
them, and amends. Good example, however, has a still greater effect. St. 
Alphonsus says : " A pious Religious, by her discourse and good exam- 
ple, can sanctify a whole community." It is an act of charity, more- 
over, to pray for the living and the dead. If God hears the prayers 
which we offer before the throne of grace for ourselves, how much more 
may we hope to be heard, when we pray for others, because interces- 
sory prayer is a prayer of Christian love. For this reason, all holy Re- 
ligious prayed for their fellow-men. Thus, we read in the life of St. 
Mary Magdalen of Pazzi, that she did not let an hour pass without pray- 
ing for sinners. To her companions, she said : " Dear Sisters, we must^ 
one day, give an account of many souls which are lost ; for, if we had fer- 
vently recommended them to God in prayer, they would not, perhaps, 
have been damned !" You must pray for those in particular, who have 
offended you, as Christ himself teaches : "Pray for those who persecute 
and calumniate you." {Matt. 5: 44) The Blessed Joanna of the Cross 
always prayed for those who had offended her, wherefore, the other Sisters 
of her convent used to say : "She who wishes our mother Joanna to pray 
for her, need only offend her." 

I conclude with the words of the favorite Apostle of the Lord : 
" Dearly beloved, let us love one another ; for charity is of God. And 
every one that loveth, is born of God, and knoweth God. He that lov- 
eth not, knoweth not God, for God is charity." (/. John 4 : 7, 8). You 
know God, you know that he is charity, and that he who abideth in 
charity, abideth in God. Cherish a sincere love for one another, con- 
sidering, that the love of our neighbor is the chief commandment of Jesus 
Christ ; that, without the fulfilment of this commandment, no virtuous 
practice is of any value before God ; and that you, as Religious, must 
love one another in an especial manner, because you are most intimately 
united with one another. Be friendly and peaceful ; avail yourselves of 
every opportunity to perform acts of kindness for one another ; and, by 
word, example, and prayer, promote your mutual happiness both here 
and hereafter. Let us consider one another to provoke unto charity 
and to good works, (Heb. 10 : 24), that we may abide in God, and God 
in us. (/. John 4 : 16). Amen. 



n8 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters, 



MEDITATION II. 

THE SISTER IN THE EXERCISES OF MORTIFICATION. 

You have, perhaps, seen the well-known picture, representing two ways, 
one of which leads to heaven, the other, to hell. The way to hell is a 
broad, smooth thoroughfare, through sweet-scented flower-beds ; there 
are neither stones nor thorns to wound the feet, — a beautiful road, 
strewn with roses. The people who walk this road are apparently in 
good spirits ; they are splendidly dressed, and walk gaily arm in arm. 
At the head of this merry crowd, a piper discourses lively music, which 
so excites the multitude that, leaping and dancing, they proceed on their 
way. But, if you look ahead to the end of the road, terror and con- 
sternation must seize you, for the way leads into the jaws of a horrible, 
infernal dragon. This terrible monster savagely watches his prey, and 
as soon as the merry travelers have reached the end, and drawn near to 
him, he devours them. — The other way represents to us a steep foot- 
path, leading upward over stones and thorns to a high mountain. The 
travelers on this road proceed slowly ; they appear emaciated, a heavy 
cross rests upon their shoulders, their garments are torn by the thorns, 
their feet bleed, and great drops of sweat roll from their foreheads and 
cheeks. Yearningly, they look upward, for the journey is painful and 
arduous. But above, at the end of tiie road, the New Jerusalem is visi- 
ble, — the city of God, built of precious stones, full of light and splen- 
dor ; and, as soon as the weary traveler arrives there, St. Peter receives 
him with friendly smiles, and opening the door, permits him to enter and 
dwell therein forever. '* And now, God shall wipe away all tears from 
their eyes : and death shall be no more ; nor mourning, nor crying, 
nor sorrow shall beany more ; for the former things are passed away." 
(Apoc. 21 : 4). 

What do these paths indicate ? The one is the way of unbridled 
lust, and the other, the way of the mortification of the flesh. — The 
end of him who gratifies his inordinate desires and passions, is eternal 
perdition ; but the end of him who bridles and mortifies his inordinate 
inclinations and passions, is life everlasting. — In this meditation, we 
will consider the Religious 

I. In the interior, and 

II. In the exterior practices of i?wrtificaiion. 
I. The interior practices of mortification. 



Second Series ; Second Day. — Meditation II. 119 

Interior mortification consists of bridling all inordinate inclinations 
and passions. Inconsequence of original sin, every man is under the 
law of evil concupiscence. He has inclinations and passions which ren- 
der the practice of virtue more or less difficult for him, enticing 
him first to this, then to that sin. Hence, the Scripture says : "The 
imagination and the thought of man's heart are prone to evil from his 
youth." (Gen. 8 : 21). If, therefore, we wish to walk in the path of 
virtue, we must bridle our inordinate inclinations and passions, or, in 
other words, mortify ourselves interiorly and exteriorly. 

1. Necessity of interior mortification. 

(a) Without interior mortification^ we cajinot avoid sin. As already 
remarked, concupiscence inclines us first to this, and then, to that sin. 
Sometimes, it is pride, sometimes avarice ; at one time, impurity, at 
another, envy, or anger, or some other sinful inclination, which arises 
in our hearts, and endeavors to gain the ascendency. Now, these desires 
must be constantly subdued and controlled, or they will, undoubtedly, 
lead us into sin. For this reason, God said to Cain : " The lust of sin 
shall be under thee, and thou shalt have dominion over it." ■ (Gen. 4 : 
7). All men who have ever sinned, and sinned grievously, fell simply 
because they neglected to mortify their evil inclinations and passions. 
Cain slew his brother Abel. Why ? Because he did not subdue the 
hatred which had arisen in his heart against the gentle Abel. Judas 
betrayed his Lord and Master to his enemies. Why ? Because he 
did not bridle his avarice. The Scribes and Pharisees crucified Christ, 
and burdened their conscience with the horrible crime of Deicide. Why ? 
Because they permitted themselves to be governed by ambition and 
pride. 

As we are never, during life, free from evil inclinations and desires, we 
must never cease fighting against, and mortifying them. — A certain 
monk, one day, complained to the Abbot Theodore, that, after combating 
his evil passions for eight years, he had not succeeded in destroying them 
entirely. Theodore replied : " My brother, you complain of a war of 
eight years, and I have spent over sixty years in solitude, and in all that 
time, there has never been a day in which I have not experienced the 
resistance of my passions. Our heart is like a garden, wherein wild 
and noxious weeds continually grow ; therefore, you must always have 
the sickle of mortification in your hand, in order to cut them down and 
cast them out. Otherwise, your soul will soon resemble a field of thorns 
and thistles." — St. Ignatius Loyola always repeated this sentence : 
u Overcome yourselves ;" and he usually chose these words for the sub- 
ject of his exhortations to his brethren. Therefore, do not deceive 



120 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



yourselves with the thought, that when you have been many years in 
the convent and have reached old age, evil inclinations and passions 
will no longer arise in your hearts, and that you can live without combat 
and mortification. No ; such a time of rest will never come in this life. 
Though one of our evil inclinations may seem to be subdued, another, 
equally as formidable, will arise in its place. The old Adam in us dies 
only with our last breath, and sinks into the grave with our body. Do not, 
therefore, forget the words of Christ : " He that shall persevere unto 
the end, he shall be saved," {Matt. 10 ■ 22); and labor to mortify and 
extirpate your evil inclinations and passions as long as you live. 

2. Without interior mortification, we can make no progress in virtue. 
There are Religious, says St. Alphonsus Liguori, who perform many 
exercises of devotion, receive holy Communion very frequently, say 
many prayers, fast, and do other penitential works, but who neglect 
to overcome the first emotions of their passions, e. g., of anger, aver- 
sion, curiosity, dangerous inclinations, etc. They do no violence 
to themselves, to endure tribulation, to separate themselves from certain 
persons, to perfectly subject their will to Obedience and the will of God. 
What progress can such souls make in perfection ? Unfortunate Relig- 
ious ! who always remain imperfect, and are far from the right path ! 
St. Augustine says of them : "They walk well, but outside of the 
track ;" that is, they flatter themselves, that they walk well, when they 
continue to perform their exercises of devotion, but they always remain 
off the track of perfection, which consists in the victory over one's self. 
Hence, the pious Thomas a Kempis says : " You will improve, in pro- 
portion as you do violence to yourself." In this, I do not mean to 
disparage vocal prayer, penitential works, and other spiritual exercises ; 
but the soul must ever have the intention of thereby gaining the victory 
over its evil passions, because all spiritual exercises are but the means 
to enable us to practise the various virtues, opposed to the passions. 
Therefore, when we receive Communion, meditate, visit the Blessed 
Sacrament, and perform similar exercises of devotion, we must always 
ask God to strengthen us, that we may become humble, mortified, obe- 
dient, resigned to his holy will, and masters of all our passions. 

He who isalwaysintent upon mortifying himself interiorly, can become 
holy in a very short time. What a beautiful harvest of virtuous acts 
and merits, one can gather, if in the beginning, he subdues a desire, 
an inclination, a motion of anger, curiosity, levity, and the like ! For 
instance, you receive a letter ; resist the desire to open it, and read it a 
little later. You would like to read the end of a narrative ; deny 
yourself the pleasure to some other time. You feel inclined to enjoy 
a joke, to pluck a flower, to look at something innocent and agreeable ; 



Second Series ; Second Day.— Meditation. II. 121 



deny yourself for the love of Christ. You can daily practise a multi- 
tude of such mortifications. — It is related of St. Dositheus, that in a 
short time, by means of such interior mortifications, he attained a high 
degree of perfection. 

You see, therefore, Sisters, how necessary it is, that you mortify your- 
selves interiorly, in order to preserve yourselves from sin, and make pro- 
gress in the path of virtue. 

2. Means to arrive at interior mortification. 

(a) We must strive to find out our predo?ni?tant passion, in order to 
bridle it and render it harmless. To overcome the devil, we must 
avail ourselves of the same artifice employed by him for our destruction. 
We must fight him, as it were, with his own weapons. He is constantly 
intent upon enkindling more and more our ruling passion. We, 
on our part, must labor to subdue it. He who overcomes his 
predominant passion will easily overcome all others ; but if he per- 
mits himself to be governed by it, he will never make any progress in 
perfection, nay, will expose himself to the danger of falling into griev- 
ous sins, and of perishing eternally. Resolve, therefore, earnestly, to 
eradicate your predominant passion. An earnest, firm will, with God's 
help, overcomes all obstacles to salvation. St. Francis of Sales was 
much inclined to anger, but, by doing violence to himself, he became a 
model of meekness and benignity. Having conquered one passion, 
proceed to fight against another ; for if but one remain unsubdued in 
your soul, it is capable of plunging you into perdition. If you thus 
fight against your passions, one after the other, with determination and 
perseverance, you will, by the assistance of God, overcome all, and re- 
ceive the crown of eternal life as your reward. 

{b) We must resist our evil inclinations and passions with promptness 
and decision. — An old monk illustrated this to one of his disciples in a 
very ingenious way. He commanded the disciple to pull a tender cypress 
out of the ground, which he immediately did. Then he ordered him 
to pull up a larger cypress ; the brother had to gather all his strength 
to accomplish it. Finally, he ordered him to pull up a cypress of many 
years' growth, and' which was deeply rooted. This, however, the 
brother could not do with all his exertions. Then, the monk said to his 
disciple : " Know, that this is the way with our passions. As easy as 
it is to eradicate them in the beginning, so difficult it is, when, by evil 
habit, they have once taken deep root." — Every one knows from expe- 
rience that this is true. For instance, we are offended ; we feel an emo- 
tion of anger within us, but we immediately extinguish this spark. We 



122 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



disregard the offence, and offer it up to God ; and behold, the fire is ex- 
tinguished, and we remain unhurt. On the other hand, if we yield to 
the emotion, and manifest our sensitiveness, our anger will be more and 
more inflamed, and will result in a lasting hatred, to be extinguished 
only with great difficulty. We must, therefore, put forth all our energy, 
in order to resist and overcome our evil inclinations and passions in the 
very beginning, that they may not grow into a habit, of which, perhaps, 
through life, we might not be able to free ourselves. 

These are the two principal means for the mortification of all inordi- 
nate inclinations and passions. Avail yourselves of these means ; unite 
them with persevering and fervent prayer, that you may obtain of God 
the grace to fight the good fight, and overcome all the enemies of your 
salvation. 

II. The Sister in the exercises of exterior mortification. 

By exterior mortification, we understand the bridling of all sensual mo- 
tions and carnal desires, as well as of the senses of the body. We must 
practise this exterior mortification, especially for three reasons : 

i. I?i order to be saved. If we wish to be saved, we must be con- 
formed to our divine Saviour, as the Apostle says : " Whom God fore- 
knew, he also predestined, to be made comformable to the image of his 
Son ; that he might be the first-born amongst many brethren." {Rom. 
8 : 29). Christ represents himself to us as the most consummate pic- 
ture of mortification, from his birth in the stable to his death upon the 
cross. He is born in the depth of winter ; a miserable stable is his 
dwelling, a crib, his cradle, a little hay and straw, his bed. What morti- 
fication at his very entrance into the world ! He lives a hidden life for 
thirty years, and suffers all the consequences of abject poverty. What 
mortifications did he not undergo during the three years of his public 
life, when he preached daily in Judea, enduring hunger and thirst, heat 
and cold, fatigue, and every kind of hardship ; and often spending whole 
nights in prayer ! Who can describe the sufferings and pains which he 
endured at his apprehension, scourging, crowning with thorns, carriage 
of the cross, and crucifixion ? Now, if the whole life of Christ was one 
continued mortification, and if we, in order to be saved, must become 
conformable to him, who could believe exterior mortification to be un- 
necessary for salvation ? Jesus Christ, however, assures us in clear 
terms, that without mortification, we cannot expect to enter into the 
kingdom of heaven. " He that taketh not up his cross, and followeth 
me, is not worthy of me." {Matt. 10 : 38). And again : " If any man 
will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and fol- 
low me." {Matt. 16 : 24). 



Second Series ; Second Day. — Meditation II. 123 



In order to be saved, we must avoid evil and do good. But it is cer- 
tain, that we cannot do this without exterior mortification ; for the body 
with its lusts must be kept in subjection, if we would not have it gain the 
mastery over the spirit, and lead it to many sins and vices. The flesh is 
slothful in doing good ; violence must be done to it, to make it practise 
the exercises necessary for salvation. The Saints were well aware of 
this ; wherefore, you do not find one among them who did not mortify 
himself in many ways. St. Paul, to show the necessity of self-denial and 
mortification, in order to subdue the flesh and its inordinate desires, says 
of himseil : " I chastise my body, and bring it into subjection : lest, per- 
haps, when I have preached toothers, I myself should become a repro- 
bate." (/. Cor. 9 : 27). — St. Anthony of Egypt, in the evening, after 
sunset, ate a piece of bread, and drank a little water. He often abstained 
from all food from two to four days, watched whole nights in prayer, and 
slept on the bare ground. When he grew older, he was accustomed to 
eat six ounces of bread, and sometimes, a few dates. Only in his old 
age, did he allow himself a little oil. He recommended his disciples to 
devote as little time as possible to the body, that they might have more 
time in which to serve God and save their soul. — What great mortifica- 
tions did not St. Clare practise ! It is hard to understand how a person 
of such delicate constitution could endure such austerities. Her nour- 
ishment usually was bread and vegetables ; during Lent, only bread and 
water, and this, only four days in the week, whilst on the other three, she 
would take nothing at all. Through solicitude for her life, the nuns 
made complaints to the bishop, and to St. Francis of Assisium, who im- 
mediately commanded her to moderate her austerities, and to eat some- 
thing daily. She obeyed, and with their consent, ate every day one 
ounce and a half of bread. She always went barefooted, even in the 
severest winter ; her habit was of the coarsest material, her bed was the 
bare ground, or a bundle of fagots, and a block of wood, her pillow. 
Only in later times, she made use of some straw covered with a deer- 
skin. The most wonderful thing was, that amidst all these mortifica- 
tions, she always preserved a smiling countenance and a friendly look. 
— You may not be able to imitate these examples, but you can take 
courage ; and, in view of the terrible mortifications of these Saints, 
practise such mortifications as accord with your needs and strength. 

2. We must practise exterior mortification, in order to satisfy for the 
temporal punislunent due to sin. In the Sacrament of Penance, if we re- 
ceive it worthily, our sins, and the eternal punishment due to them, are 
always remitted, but apart of the temporal punishment usually remains ; 
and for this, we must atone either here, or in purgatory, Now, the 
pains of purgatory are greater than all the sufferings and pains of earth. 



124 A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 

St. Cyril of Jerusalem says : " The pains and sufferings of this life are 
a solace, a refreshment, compared with the least pains of purgatory ; 
and he who would understand the greatness of it, would rather suffer 
every kind of torture to the end of the world, that all men from the days of 
Adam have ever endured, than suffer only for one day the least pain of 
purgatory." St. Antoninus relates, that the choice was given to a sick 
man by his Angel Guardian, either to suffer three days in purgatory, or 
to be sick for two years more. The sick man. chose three days in pur- 
gatory, but he was scarcely an hour there, when he complained to his 
Angel, that instead of three days, many years must have already elapsed. 
The Angel replied : " What do you say ? Your body is still warm on 
the bed on which you died, and you speak already of years ?" — These 
terrible pains of purgatory we can escape either entirely, or at least in a 
great measure, if, during our earthly life, we mortify our body and its 
senses. Should not this be a powerful incentive to us, to make good use 
of the mortifications within our reach ? 

3. We must practise exterior mortification, in order to obtai?i a great 
degree of happiness in heaven. It is related, that a hermit intended to 
change his place of residence, in order to be nearer a spring of water. 
But, before executing his design, and as he was carrying water to his 
distant cell, he seemed to hear some one behind him, counting his steps. 
Looking around, he beheld a youth, who said to him : " I am an Angel, 
who count your steps, that none of them may go unrewarded." The 
hermit, hearing this, no longer thought of changing his habitation, but, 
on the contrary, wished it were still further off, that he might increase 
his merits. In truth, the more we mortify and deny ourselves, the 
greater will be our merits before God, and, consequently, the greater our 
heavenly recompense. Each act of self-denial is a seed, which, springing 
up, brings forth fruit for eternal life. " He who soweth in blessings, 
shall also reap of blessings." (II. Cor. 9 : 6). Now, if we consider, 
that the least increase of heavenly happiness is incomparably more de- 
sirable than all earthly joys and goods, should we not cheerfully mor- 
tify and deny ourselves, in order to obtain, hereafter, a greater degree of 
happiness in heaven ? 

Practise, then, not only interior, but also, exterior mortification, — the 
latter, at least, in so far as it is necessary to preserve yourselves from sin, 
and make progress in virtue and perfection. Mortify your carnal de- 
sires, and bridle your senses, especially, your eyes, ears, and tongue ; and 
often impose voluntary penances upon yourselves, in order to assist your 
spirit more and more to obtain control over the body and its senses, and 
to arrive at the liberty of the children of God. If your sensual nature 
should sometimes remonstrate against these mortifications, say with St. 



Second Series ; Second Day. — Meditation III. 



Peter of Alcantara : " Keep quiet, my body ; in this life, I shall give thee 
no rest. Here, upon earth, thou must expect from me nothing but pains 
and tortures ; but if, one day, we reach heaven, thou shalt enjoy a rest 
which shall never end !" If, with this great Saint, you mortify your- 
selves interiorly and exteriorly, you will, also, be able to say, what, after 
his death, he said to St. Teresa, in a vision : " O happy penance, that 
has merited for me such happiness !" Amen. 



MEDITATION III. 

the sister in the fulfilment of her religious vows. 

The Religious state is a state of perfection ; not in the sense, that 
Religious, on entering it, are perfect ; but, in the sense that, gradually, 
they may attain perfection therein. The chief means to perfection, 
(which, as we have already heard, consists in the love of God,) are the 
three Religious vows : Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience. He who wishes 
to devote himself entirely to God, must renounce the desire for worldly 
goods, the desire for sensual pleasures, and his own will. This three- 
fold renunciation is made by the three vows which Religious make. 
By the vow of Poverty, they renounce all earthly possessions ; by the 
vow of Chastity, all sensual pleasures, and even matrimony ; and by 
the vow of Obedience, they sacrifice their own will, and place them- 
selves under the guidance of their spiritual superiors. To these three 
vows, which you will renew in this Retreat, we shall now direct our at- 
tention, and consider the Sister in the fulfilment of her Religious vows. 

I. The Sister in the fulfil?7ient of the vow of Poverty. 

She who makes the vow of Poverty, renounces the proprietorship of 
all earthly goods ; and, in an entire subjection to the will of her superior, 
contents herself with their simple use, in order to work out her salva- 
tion the more freely, and to become more conformable to Christ. 

i. Excellence of Poverty. 

(a) It preserves from sin. " They who would become rich, fall into 
temptation, and into the snare of the devil, and into many unprofitable 
and hurtful desires, which drown men in destruction and perdition." 



126 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



(/. Tim. 6 : 9). Here, the Apostle expressly says, that temporal goods 
are the occasion of many sins, and dangers to the soul. Solicitude for 
riches often causes men to neglect their religious duties, — such as prayer, 
going to church, the reception of the Sacraments, etc., — to often violate 
Christian charity and justice, and burden their conscience with a mul- 
titude of sins. The possession of money and other temporal goods, leads 
frequently to pride, impurity, debauchery, love of the world, and forget- 
fulness of God. Hence, St. Gregory calls riches, the instrument of all 
vices. How much better off are those who have renounced earthly goods, 
in order to live in voluntary poverty ! Their poverty is to them a bul- 
wark against all the sins begotten of riches. The poor cannot dress be- 
yond their state, they cannot yield to intemperance, because they lack 
the means to do so. No opportunity is offered them to sin by injustice, 
because they acquire and possess nothing as their property ; neither are 
they ever exposed to the danger of neglecting the affair of their salvation 
on account of temporal things. Poverty is a most effectual guardian 
against all vices. 

(o) It renders easy the practice of virtues. The poor man has always 
an opportunity of exercising himself in mortification, in patience, and 
in resignation to the will of God. Having nothing that could excite in 
him vanity or pride, he always preserves Christian humility ; everywhere, 
he sees the hand of divine Providence, to which he subjects himself with 
confidence. Having nothing on earth that could captivate his heart, he 
raises his eyes upward. His heart being free from the inordinate love 
of the world, the love of God dwells in him ; and where the love of 
God is, there, all virtues centre. 

(c) It preserves the peace of the soul. The rich man often derives 
nothing from his riches but anxieties and cares. He never experiences 
genuine joy in the possession of his wealth ; and he suffers many wants 
in the midst of affluence. The poor man cares little about loss and gain. 
He does not know the cares of the rich, nor the tortures of the envious. 
He is satisfied with what he has ; and because he is content with little, 
always finds what is necessary. One morning, John Tauler met a beg- 
gar, whose appearance excited his compassion. Tauler saluted him with 
the words : " Good morning." The beggar replied : " I have never yet 
had a bad morning. I have always been contented with my lot, and I 
do not know what it is to desire the goods of this world. I have a Father 
in heaven, who does not forsake me ; on the contrary, he continually 
pours soothing consolation into my heart." Such sweet peace, the Chris- 
tian enjoys, who, for the love of Christ, chooses poverty for his portion. 

(d) To it, is promised life everlasting. Although wealth, of itself, does 



Second Series ; Second Day. — Meditation III. 127 



net exclude from the kingdom of heaven, we do not, however, find a 
single passage in the Sacred Scripture, either in the Old or the New 
Testament, in which heaven is assured to wealth. On the contrary, 
only evil things are announced concerning it. Christ says : " It is 
easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich 
man to enter into the kingdom of heaven." {Matt, 19 : 24). Quite 
differently, does the Sacred Scripture express itself regarding the poor. 
Christ calls them blessed; and St. James says : " Hath not God chosen 
the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which 
God hath promised to them that love him ?" (2 : 5). St. Bernard 
relates the following parable : A certain king had two daughters. One 
of them was very beautiful, the other, very homely. The former had 
many admirers ; — whereas, no one inquired for the latter, who 
wept bitterly before her father, the king. But he said to her : " Weep 
not, my child, for he who marries your sister, obtains nothing save her 
beauty ; whereas, he who marries you, shall receive from me my king- 
dom." In the spiritual sense, by the beautiful daughter who found so 
many admirers, we are to understand riches, — by the homely one, pov- 
erty. He who chooses riches, receives nothing from the Father but a 
perishable splendor in this world ; but he who espouses poverty, shall 
inherit the kingdom of the Father ; for, of the poor in spirit, it is said : 
" Theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Behold the excellence of the vow 
of Poverty, which you have made ! This vow, if you conscientiously 
observe it, will merit for you great blessings in time and in eternity. 

2. Its practice. The Poverty to which you have bound yourselves by a 
vow, requires, 

(a) That you cherish no inordinate love for anything earthly. Such 
love would be a sin against your vow, which obliges you to give your 
heart undividedly to God. You must resemble a statue, which remains 
cold and insensible ; you may dress or undress it, you may put on it a 
costly or a poor garment, it is alike indifferent. Examine your 
conscience, as to whether you have any inordinate love for any object in 
your use. Should this be the case, relinquish the thing, or, if that be im- 
possible, assure God, that you love him alone, and say with David : "The 
Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup ; it is thou that 
wilt restore my inheritance to me." (Ps. 15 : 5). 

(b) The vow of Poverty requires, that you be satisfied with all that the 
superior gives you, even with the worst y and do not wish for anything bet- 
ter, e. g., for better diet, better clothes, better lodging, better furniture, 
etc. — We read in the Chronicles of the Order of St. Francis, that Brother 



128 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



Elias, one of the chief men of the Order, and afterwards General of it, 
had a fine cloth habit made for himself, that was very large and full, 
with sleeves that hung down to the ground. As soon as St. Francis 
heard of it, he sent for him, and, in the presence of several Religious, 
desired to see his habit. When he had brought it, St. Francis put it on 
over his own, and began to set the plaits in order, and to let fall the 
sleeves, with an air that was vain and fantastical. After this, he assumed a 
haughty mien, and walking majestically among them, paid his honors 
to the Religious with affected voice and gesture. The Religious, sur- 
prised at this, looked at one another in amazement, when the saint, trans- 
ported with zeal, hastily pulled off the habit, and, casting it with great 
violence to the ground, told Friar Elias, before all the company, that 
the bastard sons of the Order were clothed in that manner. Having re- 
sumed his own sweet and mild expression of countenance, St. Francis 
conversed with the Religious according to his custom, and strongly rec- 
ommended poverty and humility. 

(c) It requires, that you joyfully take upon yourselves the hardships 
which Poverty bri?igs in its train. The vow of Poverty obliges you to 
be poor, and to live poor. But to be poor and to live poor, means 
nothing else, than to bear the hardships and inconveniences of poverty. 
He who always has what he wishes, can not be said to be poor. True 
poverty is satisfied to lack what is really necessary. He who finds no ease 
and contentment of mind on this point, has not yet arrived at the per- 
fection of Poverty of spirit. Christ came into this world poor, and 
suffered the want of the most necessary things. He had no cradle, no 
bed, and, from the night he was born until the day of his death, he 
could scarcely find a place wherein to lay his head. " The foxes have 
holes, and the birds of the air nests, but the Son of man hath not where 
to lay his head." {Matt. 8 : 20). He was stripped of his garments, 
that he might die devoid of everything ; and he who had nothing while 
living, would not, when dead, have even a grave of his own, but was 
laid in the grave of another. A glance at the poverty of Christ should 
be enough to encourage you to bear with patience and joy the little 
inconveniences which the vow of Poverty imposes upon you as a duty. 

II. The Sister in the fulfilment of the vow of Chastity. 

She who vows perpetual Chastity, obliges herself, for the love of God, 
not only to refrain from all that is contrary to holy purity, but also, from 
entering matrimony. 

1. Excellence of perpetual Chastity. 



Second Series ; Second Day. — Meditation III. 129 



(a) It is particularly praised in the Sacred Scripture, and by the Fa- 
thers of the Church, In the book of Wisdom, we read : " O how beau- 
tiful is the chaste generation with glory ! for the memory thereof is im- 
mortal : because it is known both with God and with men. When it is 
present, they imitate it : and they desire it when it hath withdrawn it- 
self : and it triumpheth crowned for ever, winning the reward of unde- 
filed conflicts." (4 : 1, 2). And : " No price is worthy of a conti- 
nent soul." {Ecclus. 26 : 20). 

The holy Fathers are almost inexhaustible in their praise of Chastity. 
According to them, chaste souls are the most beautiful flowers in the 
garden of the Church, the honor of Christianity, the bravest and most 
zealous army under the banner of the divine Saviour, the masterpiece of 
the Holy Ghost, and the noblest part of the flock of Christ. Must 
not Chastity be a most excellent virtue, since Scripture and Tradition 
alike speak of it in such glowing terms ? 

(b) It honors and sanctifies the body. As the body pleases man if it is 
decorated with fine clothes, so it pleases God and the Angels far more 
when it is adorned with Chastity. The Apostle, therefore, says : " Every 
one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and 
honor." (/. Thess. 4 : 4). Behold, how the Apostle elevates Chastity, 
calling it the honor of our vessel, that is, of our body, which serves the 
soul, as it were, for a vessel ! Indeed, what can bring greater honor 
and advantage to the body, than when, by an heroic continence, it is 
translated from the company and practices of animal creation into the 
society and ways of pure spirits ? " He who adheres to the Lord," says 
the Apostle, " is one spirit." (/. Cor. 6 : 17). Nothing unites us more 
intimately with God than purity. By the practice of this virtue, that is be- 
gun in us, which, at the resurrection of the flesh, will be perfectly accom- 
plished, — the animal body is changed into a spiritual one. Hence, St. 
Cyprian thus addressed virgins : " You have already begun to be, 
what we shall all one day be ; you begin already in this world, to receive 
the glory of the resurrection." 

(c) It sanctifies the soul. How could it be otherwise, since Christians 
who are free from carnal bonds, think only of the things of the Lord ? 
The holy Fathers compare chaste souls to the Angels, nay, they even place 
them above them. " O happy creatures that we are !" exclaims St. Chrys- 
ostom, " we can be angels even on earth, if we so wish ! If we aspire 
to perfect purity, if we live in the body as if without a body, in the flesh 
as if without the flesh, with the senses as if without them, we are angels, 
not, indeed, according to nature, but according to grace." 

(d) 1 1 procures for us, in an special manner, God's love and friendship. 



13° 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



We read in the book of Proverbs : " He that loveth cleanness of heart, 
for the grace of his lips, shall have the king for his friend." (22 : 11). 
St. John was loved above the other disciples, and overwhelmed with fa- 
vors by Jesus. And why ? Because the virtue of Chastity rendered 
him worthy of a far more intimate friendship and familiarity with the All 
Holy One. We need not be astonished at this. Jesus is that Bridegroom, 
who feedeth among the lilies, (Cci7it. 2 : 16); that is, who greatly rejoices 
in Chastity. He loves very much to converse with chaste souls, as his 
brides, and he favors them with heavenly inspirations, supernatural con- 
solations and graces. 

(e) It is especially disti?iguished and rewarded i?i heaven. St. John tells 
us this, in these words : " Behold, a Lamb stood on Mount Sion and 
with him a hundred and forty-four thousand, having his name, and the 
name of his Father, written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice 
from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of great 
thunder ; and the voice which I heard, was as of harpers, harping on 
their harps. And they sung as it were a new canticle, before the throne, 
and before the four living creatures, and the ancients : and no man could 
say the canticle but those hundred and forty-four thousand, who 
were purchased from the earth. These are they who were not defiled 
with women : for they are virgins. These follow the Lamb whitherso- 
ever hegoeth." (Apoc. 14 : 1-4). Since, according to these words of St. 
John, pure, virginal souls in heaven, sing a song which no one else can 
sing, and follow the divine Lamb whithersoever he goes, it is evident, 
that virginal purity is there distinguished and recompensed beyond all 
other virtues. What an excellent virtue, then, is Chastity ! How much 
you should esteem it, and with what solicitude, preserve it ! 

2. Means for the preservation of Chastity. 

(a) The first means is, the fear of God. Fathers Faber and Anthony 
Aroaz of the Society of Jesus, lived at the royal court of Spain so mod- 
estly and retired, that they appeared more like angels than men. All 
were amazed at such innocence and purity of morals amidst the dan- 
gers and frivolities of court life. One day, the king addressed them in 
these words : " 1 have been told, that the Jesuits carry about them an 
herb which has the virtue of preserving Chastity." Father Aroaz re- 
plied : " Your majesty has been told the truth." The king then asked: 
'"What herb is that ?" The Father replied : " Your majesty, the herb 
which the Jesuits carry about them in order to preserve Chastity, is the 
fear of God. This it is, that works such wonders, for it has the virtue 
of driving away the evil spirits." — Yes, the fear of God is the safeguard 



Second Series ; Second Day. — Meditation III. 



of holy purity. Hence, we read : " No evils shall happen to him that 
feareth the Lord : but in temptation, God will keep him, and deliver 
him from evils." {Ecclus. 33 : 1). And again : " The fear of the 
Lord driveth out sin." {Ecclus. 1 : 27). What was it that made Joseph of 
Egypt courageously reject the desire of the unchaste woman ; and Susanna 
prefer death, rather than sin against Chastity ? What else, than the fear 
of God ? Joseph said : " How can I do this wicked thing, and sin 
against my God ?" {Gen. 39 : 9). Susanna said to the two wicked 
•old judges : " It is better for me to fall into your hands without do- 
ing it, than to sin in the sight of the Lord." {Dan. 13 : 23). Have 
God always before your eyes, as often as a temptation arises within 
you ; think of the infinite sanctity and justice of God, who hates and 
detests all uncleanness, and punishes the unclean with everlasting fire. 
By these reflections, you will overcome every temptation, and preserve 
a pure heart. 

(b) The second means is watchfulness. Christ exhorts us thereto, in 
these words : " Watch ye, and pray, that ye enter not into temptation." 
{Mall. 26 : 41). St. Peter gives the same counsel : " Be sober, and 
watch : because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, goeth about 
seeking whom he may devour." {I. Pet. 5: 8). This vigilance must extend 
to everything that prepares the way for temptation, or can, in any way, en- 
danger purity. What caused David to fall so deeply, if not because he did 
not guard his eyes ? The veil you wear, is a continual reminder, that 
you should be modest in your looks, and immediately avert your eyes 
from everything that could possibly be to you an occasion of sin. Do 
not read what is not becoming to you ; and at once cease reading, if you 
meet with anything indecent. Be watchful in your intercourse with 
seculars, and be careful, that nothing occur in your conversations and 
behavior, that could, even in the least, violate modesty. Watch over the 
thoughts and emotions of your heart, and resolutely reject whatever is 
unchaste, in order not to offend God. 

(<;) The third means is prayer. In the above quoted passage, our 
Blessed Lord exhorts us also to pray : " Watch ye, and pray?' We 
have every reason to have recourse to prayer, for we are weak, and frail, 
and incapable, of our own strength, of overcoming temptations, espec- 
ially, if they are violent and long-continued. But if we pray with fervor 
and confidence, God hastens to assist our weakness, and strengthens us, 
so that we can overcome every, even the most violent and enduring temp- 
tation. Spiritual writers recommend nothing more urgently in tempta- 
tions against holy purity, than prayer. " As soon as you perceive a temp- 
tation within you, act like timid children, who, when they see a savage 



132 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



beast, run to their father and mother, or, at least, cry out to them for 
help. In like manner, have recourse to God, and ask him for help, grace, 
and mercy." (St. Francis de Sales). Do not fail to pray daily to God 
for the grace to preserve holy purity undefiled; and call upon him for 
help as often as unchaste temptations arise in your heart. Protest to 
him, at the same time, that you wish to die rather than assent to any- 
thing wicked. If you avail yourselves of these means, — with the help of 
God, you will so. preserve the vow of holy Chastity during the remain- 
der of your life, that you can, one day, die peacefully, and appear with 
joyful confidence before the judgment-seat of God. 

III. The Sister in the fulfilment of the vow of Obedience. 

By the vow of Obedience, one renounces his own will, in order the 
more perfectly to fulfil the will of God under a superior, who holds the 
place of God. 

1. Excellence of this vow. Perfect Obedience, to which one obliges 
himself by a vow, is the greatest sacrifice which one can make to God. 
" He who gives his goods to God, and distributes them among the poor, 
he who offers up to God his honor, and patiently bears contempt, he who 
offers to God his body, and mortifies it with fasting and penitential works, 
— gives him a part of himself ; but he who offers up to him his will, 
gives him all that he has, and can then exclaim : Lord, after having 
offered up to thee my will, I have nothing more to give thee." (St. 
Alphonsus Lig.). There is, therefore, nothing more pleasing to God than 
perfect Obedience. — " A single act of perfect Obedience is of greater 
value, than the most sublime, contemplative prayer." (St. Mary Mag- 
dalen of Pazzt). — " It is more meritorious to pick up a straw in Obe- 
dience, than to preach, to fast, and to scourge one's self, of one's own will." 
(Rodriguez). — A holy hermit was conducted, in an ecstasy, to a place from 
which he beheld three beautiful chairs in heaven. The first chair was 
for those who, on earth, had practised works of mercy ; the second, for 
those who had patiently endured sufferings and tribulations ; and the 
third, for those who had been perfectly obedient ; and this last 
chair was the most beautiful. When the holy hermit asked the reason 
of this, he heard a voice saying : " The first two had their own will, but 
the third surrendered their own will to another, by becoming perfectly 
obedient." Blessed are those who entirely deny their own will, and 
practise perfect Obedience ! They walk straight to heaven, where a rich 
reward awaits them. 

2. The fulfilment of this vow. The vow of Obedience requires, 

(a) That you obey promptly and punctually. St. Bernard thus de- 



Second Series ; Second Day. — Meditation III. 133 



scribes an obedient man : " He does not know what it is to delay ; he 
does not put off the business till to-morrow ; he is an enemy to all 
kinds of demurs : he even anticipates the commands of his superior. 
His eyes and ears are always open to the least sign given him ; in fact, 
his entire being faithfully awaits the motion of his superior. He does 
what he is commanded, goes where he is sent, and is ever ready to re- 
ceive and execute every order, through Obedience." We have an ex- 
ample of this prompt and punctual Obedience in Samuel. One night, 
he slept in the Temple. God called him : " Samuel, Samuel !" — and he 
immediately arose, and went to Heli, saying : " You called me ; here 
I am." But Heli told him that he had not called him, and bade him 
to go to bed again. He did so, and had no sooner fallen asleep, than the 
Lord called him again. He arose at once, went to Heli, and said : 
" You did call me; here I am." Heli answered him as before: 
" Child, I did not call you ; go and sleep." He obeyed, and God calling 
him the third time, he arose and went again to Heli, saying as be- 
fore : " You called me, behold, here I am." Heli, understanding that 
it was God who called Samuel, bade him go back and sleep, and if any 
one should call him again, to say : " Speak, Lord, for thy servant 
heareth !" Admire the Obedience of Samuel. He foimd himself de- 
ceived the first time. Heli told him that he had not called him. Never- 
theless, he arises the second, and the third time, hastens to Heli, and 
demands to know his wish. What prompt Obedience ! Do you, too, 
obey without delay ? The proverb says : " He gives twice, who gives 
quickly." This may also be said of Obedience. If you obey promptly, 
you have a double merit before God, and most assuredly, shall obtain a 
double recompense. 

(b) Obedience requires, that you obey cheerfully. He who obeys unwill- 
ingly and reluctantly, commits a sin, instead of doing good. " If, on 
receiving a command from your superior, you murmur against him in 
your heart, the work, though you execute it outwardly, is no virtue, but 
a mantle of malice ; for you only obey to be considered obedient, whereas, 
in reality, you sin." (St. Bernard}. The Sacred Scripture says ; 
" God loveth a cheerful giver." (//. Cor. 9 : 7). This must also be 
said of Obedience. If you wish your Obedience to be acceptable to God, 
you must do willingly and cheerfully whatever Obedience prescribes. 

[c] Obedience requires, that you obey in all things, in important and 
unimportant, in difficult and easy, in agreeable and disagreeable, things. 
This is the essence of the vow by which Religious have bound themselves 
to Obedience. For, this vow requires a perfect denial and renunciation, 
of one's own will, consequently, perfect Obedience. If, therefore, Relig- 



T34 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



ious would not obey in one point or another, or only with reluctance, it 
would be a manifest sign, that they had not yet given up their own will ; 
and they would sin against their vow. You should consider this well, and 
show yourselves ready to obey in everything that Obedience requires of 
you, whether it be in accordance with, or against, your notions. The 
less your Obedience agrees with your inclination, and the more violence 
you do to yourselves in order to comply with it, the greater is the merit 
you acquire before God. 

(d) Obedience requires, that you obey blindly. She who obeys blindly, 
submits not only her will, but also her judgment, to the will of her su- 
perior. She obeys without investigation, without inquiring why or 
wherefore ; she obeys in everything that is not sinful. How acceptable 
this blind Obedience is, we see in Abraham, who was commanded by God 
to sacrifice his son Isaac. God had promised Abraham, that he would 
make him the father of many nations ; he had only one son, in whom this 
promise could be fulfilled ; if he consented to sacrifice him, he had no 
hope that the promise of God would be fulfilled. But he did not hesi- 
tate a moment, to sacrifice his son, for he doubted neither the command 
of God, nor the fulfilment of his promise. Upon receiving his orders, 
which were very trying for the father of an only son, he put himself in 
readiness to execute them without the least demur ; and God was so 
well pleased with his obedience, that he said to Abraham : (i Because 
thou hast done this thing, and hast not spared thy only-begotten son 
for my sake, I will bless thee, and I will multiply thy seed as the stars 
of heaven, and as the sand that is by the sea-shore ; thy seed shall 
possess the gates of thy enemies." (Gen. 22 : 16, 17). 

This much, I desired to lay before you in regard to the three Religious 
vows. Renew these vows during this Retreat, for they are, as you are 
aware, the principal means to perfection. Vow to God, Poverty ; dis- 
engage your heart from all attachment to earthly things. All that the 
world gives and has, is vain and perishable, unworthy of your love and 
esteem. You belong to God, he alone is your portion ; to him alone, be- 
longs your love. Vow to him Chastity, that angelic virtue ; and resolve 
never to allow the least thought contrary to holy purity to arise in your 
heart. You are spouses of Jesus Christ, and as such, your life, here be- 
low, must be pure and holy. Vow to him Obedience. Obey promptly, 
punctually, readily, cheerfully, and blindly, in all things whatsoever ; 
and never forget, that you entered the convent not to command, but to 
obey ; not to do your own will, but the will of another. Blessed are you, 
if you are always faithful to these three vows ! You offer up thereby 
to God all you are and possess, — your goods, your body, and your soul ; 
and God will richly recompense you for this sacrifice. He himself will 
be your exceedingly great reward. Amen. 



Second Series ; Third Day. — Meditation I. 



THIRD DAY. 



MEDITATION I. 

THE SISTER IN THE RECEPTION OF THE HOLY SACRAMENTS. 

The Religious state offers you a great and inexhaustible treasure of 
graces in the holy Sacraments of Penance and the Blessed Eucharist. 
Herein, you have a great advantage over Christians living in the world. 
With the best of will, it is frequently impossible for the latter to receive 
the holy Sacraments. Their business, and other circumstances, do not 
very often admit of it. Not unfrequently, human respect prevents them ; 
for the frequent reception of the Sacraments of Penance and the holy Eu- 
charist is reprehended by many, even by such as desire to be considered 
good Christians. Many lack the courage to despise such discourses and 
judgments ; human fear deters them from frequent confession and Com- 
munion. With you, the case is quite different ; you can confess every 
week, and communicate three and four times a week. You need not wait 
for hours, to go to confession ; the confessor comes to you at the appoint- 
ed hour, so that the opportunity is afforded you to confess without loss 
of time. Neither does any one hinder you in the reception of the holy 
Sacraments ; on the contrary, the rule prescribes when you must confess 
and communicate. This, certainly, is a grace for which you can never 
sufficiently return thanks to God. That you may always confess and 
communicate worthily, 1 shall here mention some things which concern 
Religious especially ; and represent to you the Sister in the reception of 
the holy Sacraments of Penance and the Blessed Eucharist. 

I. The Sister in the recepion of the Sacrament of Penance. 

i. Effects of the Sacrament of Penance. This Sacrament is one of the 
greatest of graces. We can never sufficiently thank our dear Redeemer 
for it. If he had not instituted this Sacrament, scarcely any, but little, 
innocent children would get to heaven ; of us adults, certainly but few 
would be saved. Your case, too, would be desperate. Some of you might 
go straight to hell, and others would have to suffer the pains of purga- 
tory for a long time, perhaps, to the end of the world. These things 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



are plain ; yet, in order to convince ourselves of it still more, let us make 
a short meditation on the effects of the Sacrament of Penance. This 
Sacrament, 

(a) Frees us from sin and its punishment. All the sins which one has 
committed after Baptism, though they be as numerous as the grains of 
sand on the sea-shore, and as fed "S§*sc~a'fle~t; are remitted in the Sacrament 
of Penance ; for the words of Christ are general : " Whose sins you shall 
forgive, they are forgiven them." {John 20 : 23). "God," says St. 
Ambrose, <x makes no distinction ; he has assured his mercy to all men, 
and permits his priests to forgive all sins, none excepted." — St. John 
Climacus relates, that a young man entered a monastery in order to for- 
sake the vicious life which he had led in the world. Before the Abbot 
received him, he wished to try his vocation, and, for this purpose, told 
him, that if he wished to be received, he would be obliged to confess his 
sins publicly. The young man obeyed. Whilst he revealed his sins in 
the presence of the monks, a holy brother noticed, that as soon as the 
youth confessed a sin, a man of venerable mien blotted it out from a 
written sheet of paper, so that, when the confession was ended, all the 
sins of the penitent were erased from the sheet. — What here occurred 
visibly, is done invisibly with each individual, who, with due dispositions, 
confesses his sins ; they are all forgiven, no matter how many, or how 
grievous, they may be. 

In the Sacrament of Penance, the eternal punishment is remitted to- 
gether with the sin. If one has committed a thousand mortal sins, and 
deserved hell a thousand times, this punishment is remitted. Hell is 
closed against him ; and if he dies without having committed any new 
grievous sin, he will be admitted into heaven, sooner or later. Reflect 
seriously on this grace of the Sacrament of Penance. Suppose, one 
who was condemned to death, could avert capital punishment from 
himself, and recover his liberty, by acknowledging his crimes to one 
man in private ; would he not deem himself happy, and gladly comply 
with this condition ? Now, behold, a greater grace is imparted to us 
Christians, since, by one secret confession, we are freed from the punish- 
ment of hell, to which capital punishment cannot be compared ! Have 
we not reason, then, to be thankful to our Saviour for the institution of 
the holy Sacrament of Penance ? 

Not only eternal punishment is remitted in confession, but also a part 
of the temporal punishment. Every time you make a good confession, 
you can blot out part of the punishment of purgatory ; yea, if, at your 
confession, you have perfect contrition, like Mary Magdalene, you obtain 
the remission of all temporal punishments, and become as free from 
sin and punishment as after Baptism. Is not this a great grace, es- 



Second Series ; Third Day. — Meditation I. 



i37 



pecially, when we consider, that the pains of purgatory are more painful 
than all the sufferings of earth combined ? 

{b) It preserves us from sin, imparting to us a special grace, by which 
we are enabled to lead a pious, penitential life. — St. Bernard, in his life 
of St. Malachy, speaks of a woman who was so impatient and passion- 
ate, that nobody could live with her. St. Malachy, perceiving that she 
had never yet confessed this fault, persuaded her to make a full con- 
fession. After confession, (St. Bernard adds,) this woman was so patient 
and meek, that she seemed to have become insensible to all offences and 
abuses. — In order to obtain this purity of conscience, the Saints used 
to confess very often, some, even daily. You have the opportunity of 
confessing your sins once a week, and if you endeavor every time to 
make a good confession, you can arrive at great purity of heart, and, 
gradually, succeed so far, that you will rarely commit deliberate venial 
sin. 

(c) It procures for us heaven in this life and in the next. As often 
as we make a good confession, we receive sanctifying grace, or the love 
of God, if we have lost it ; or, if we already possess it, we receive an in- 
crease of grace. Now, if we possess sanctifying grace, or the love of God, 
we have already, so to say, heaven on earth; for what can be more joyful 
and consoling, than to be able to say to ourselves : God loves me more 
than a father loves his only child ; and after a while, he will take me to 
himself in heaven ! 

What sweet consolation, what indescribable peace of soul, a good 
confession procures for us ! — An old army-officer, after attending a 
mission, made a general confession ; whereupon, he was filled with 
such feelings of consolation and joy, that he repeatedly cried aloud : 
" Never in my life have I enjoyed such pure, sweet joy, as that 
which I have tasted since I made my peace with God ! I really 
believe that Louis XV., whom I have served for thirty-six years, cannot 
be happier than L No, that prince, in all the splendor that sur- 
rounds his throne, amidst all his amusements and pleasures, is not as 
contented, or as happy as I am You have, without doubt, frequently 
felt this sweet consolation and joy of heart, after having made a good 
confession ; and hence you will agree with me, that the Sacrament 
of Penance prepares for us, in a certain sense, heaven upon earth. That 
this Sacrament will, hereafter, open for us the portals of heaven, is self- 
evident ; for, since it cleanses and sanctifies us, it renders us fit to be- 
hold God, and to enjoy with him and his Saints, everlasting happiness. 
I mention only these few points regarding the effects of grace in the 
Sacrament of Penance, in order to increase your gratitude to your Sav- 



138 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



iour for the institution of this Sacrament, and to induce you to prepare 
yourselves always as perfectly as possible for its reception. 

2. Requisites for the worthy reception of the Sacrament of Pena?ice. 
Here, too, I shall mention only those things which regard Religious in 
particular. In order to receive worthily this Sacrament, it is required : 

(a) That after invoking the Holy Ghost, and asking for light and grace, 
you examine your conscience. The examination of conscience is an im- 
portant affair, because upon it depends the confession itself. You must, 
therefore, devote as much time to it as men of the world are accustomed 
to devote to an affair of great importance. But, with you, the examina- 
tion of conscience cannot be attended with difficulty, because you 
confess every week, make a daily examination of conscience, and finally, 
lead a simple life, secluded from the world, and with no special occa- 
sion of sinning much, or grievously. I desire, however, to call your atten- 
tion to three points ■ 

1. That at every confession, you examine into your chief fault. 

2. That you seriously reflect upon the causes of your faults, particu- 
larly, on your predominant fault. 

3. That you investigate, whether you have kept the resolutions made 
at your preceding confession. 

What you discover in this threefold examination, you may briefly men- 
tion in your confession, in order to receive from your confessor the nec- 
essary instruction as to the proper means for your improvement and 
perfection 

\J?) It is requisite, that you have true contrition and a firm purpose of 
amendment. Contrition, as you know, is the most necessary requisite for 
the worthy reception of the Sacrament of Penance. It belongs to the very 
essence of the Sacrament, and without it, no venial, much less, mortal sin, 
is or can be remitted by God. It is easy to say, what contrition is, and 
what qualities true contrition must have ; but it is not so easy to know 
whether one has true contrition, that is, such a contrition as is requisite 
for the validity of confession. Some penitents are very often in great 
doubt whether they have true contrition ; they endeavor to excite it, 
but always fear that they do not succeed. Such penitents can be told for 
their consolation, that they need have no fear or scruple on that point. 
Contrition, which is sincere and acceptable to God, does not consist in 



Second Series ; Third Day. — K ditation J. 



'39 



any sensible pain or sorrow on account of sins committed, but rather, 
in a hatred of them, and in a firm purpose to commit them no more. 
True contrition is chiefly known by the resolution. If one is earnestly 
resolved never more to offend God, at least, by mortal sin, he may be 
assured, that he has true contrition, — that is, such contrition as is neces- 
sary to obtain forgiveness of sin. It will be expedient for you, at every 
confession, to repent of some past sin for which you have especial haired, 
though already confessed and forgiven ; and to include it anew 
in the confession. By so doing, you will be the more certain of having 
the contrition requisite for a valid absolution. 

(c) It is necessary, that you confess your sins candidly and sincerely. 
You know, that all mortal sins remembered after a sufficient examination 
of conscience, must be confessed, together with those circumstances 
which change the nature of the sin ; and that every confession is in- 
valid and sacrilegious, where one knowingly, out of shame or fear, con- 
ceals a mortal sin. " O my God," exclaims St. Alphonsus Liguori, 
" how many Religious are burning in hell, and will burn there for all 
eternity, on account of this accursed shame !" Consider, that it is not 
shame, but downright madness, that withholds you from disclosing your 
sins in confession : that you are confessing to one man, and that your 
confession will not dishonor you. Consider, moreover, that this shame 
will soon be over, and will be followed by great peace of mind ; and 
that your confessor is bound to eternal secrecy, whicn he can never 
yiolate without rendering himself guilty of death before God and man. 

II. The Sister in the reception of the Blessed Eucharist. 

1. The grandeur and gracious effects of this Sacrament. The Sacra- 
ment of the Altar is justly called the Most Holy Sacrament, for it is the 
greatest and most holy of all the Sacraments. Whilst the other Sacra- 
ments contain only graces, this Sacrament contains Jesus Christ him- 
self, the Author of all grace. There is nothing holier and more ador- 
able in heaven or on earth, than the Sacrament of the Altar, because in 
it, Jesus Christ is truly and substantially present. The Saints in heaven 
have no advantage over us, for we have present in the Sacrament 
of the Altar, Jesus Christ, whom the Saints adore in heaven ; nay, we 
have a privilege which they have not. for we can receive him in Holy 
Communion. The graces flowing from the Sacrament of the Altar are 
so great and numerous, that, as the Roman Catechism says, it is im- 
possible to describe or recount them. In the Holy Sacrament, we re- 
ceive Jesus Christ himself, the Fountain of all graces ; and, since we 
receive him as food, we become most intimately united with him. He 



140 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



himself says : He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, abid- 
eth in me, and I in him." {John 6:57). As our natural food is use- 
ful not only in the moment that we partake of it, but also by the after- 
strength which we derive from it, so it is with the spiritual advantages 
of the Most .Holy Sacrament of the Altar. How could we doubt that 
this indescribably intimate corporal and spiritual union with Jesus 
Christ, the Fountain of all graces, becomes to us a source of numberless 
graces and blessings, if we communicate with a heart well prepared. 
The chief effect of the Sacrament of the Altar is, to preserve ano- 
strengthen in us the life of grace. Therefore, it is called the heavenly 
Bread ; for, as natural bread preserves the life of the body, so thk 
heavenly Bread preserves the life of the soul, which is sanctifying grace. 
According to the Council of Trent, the Most Holy Sacrament of the 
Altar is a means by which we are freed from our daily faults, and pre- 
served from mortal sins. (13 Sess. can. 2). It is the spiritual water 
which extinguishes in us the fire of sinful desires. " If you no longer 
experience so many emotions of anger, envy, and impurity, return thank? 
to the Blessed Eucharist, which produces in you these salutary effects.'' 
{St. Bernard). It is particularly Communion, as Thomas of Aquino 
says, that gives us strength to overcome all the temptations of the eva 
spirit. St. Chrysostom also assures us, that when we communicate, the 
evil spirits flee, and the Angels gather around us. Moreover, this 
Sacrament causes a great peace in our hearts, a strong inclination to 
virtue, and a great facility in Ihe practice of it, so that we find no dif- 
ficulty in making progress in 'the path of perfection. 

2. Preparation for ihe reception of the Sacrament of the Altar, ft is 
twofold : 

(a) The remote, which consists in cleansing the soul, at least from 
every mortal sin. She who would knowingly communicate in the state 
of mortal sin, would commit a most horrible sacrilege. She would ren- 
der herself guilty of the Body and Blood of Christ, not discerning u 
from ordinary food. She would commit a sin similar to that of the Jews r 
who crucified the Lord, and shed his blood ; and would eat judgment 
to herself, that is, eternal damnation. I hope you have never been so 
unfortunate as to appear at the table of the Lord in the state of sin. 
This would be something terrible for a Religious. But, because you are 
Religious, who must aspire to perfection, and because you have the hap- 
piness of communicating frequently, you should not entertain even an in- 
ordinate inclination in your heart. St. Augustine says : " If one of 
the great ones of the world should honor you with a visit, and you knew 
that certain things in your house were highly displeasing to him, would 



Second Series ; Third Day. — Meditation I. 



you not take care to have them removed before his advent ? In like 
manner, if we wish to receive Jesus in our heart, we must banish from 
it all earthly inclinations which displease him." Examine, then, before 
every Communion, whether you have an inordinate inclination to any- 
thing earthly ; and should such be the case, purify your heart from it, 
that you may prepare an agreeable dwelling-place for your Lord, and 
communicate with advantage. 

(b) The proximate preparation consists in making acts of faith, hu- 
mility > and desire. In order to excite an act of faith, you must vividly 
represent to your mind, that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, comes to you 
in Communion under the appearance of bread — that same Jesus, whom 
the Angels and Saints adore with the most profound veneration in heaven, 
and who will, one day, come to judge the living and the dead. The more 
lively this faith is in your hearts, the more profound will be the venera- 
tion with which you will approach the table of the Lord, and receive Holy 
Communion. Alas ! our coldness, distractions, and indevotion at Holy 
Communion proceed only from the want of a lively faith in the Real Pres- 
ence of Christ in the Blessed Eucharist. It is true, we have implicit 
faith in this mystery, but how rarely do we realize what we receive in Holy 
Communion ! Hence, our coldness, and the little fruit of our commun- 
ions. Do not omit, at every Communion, to excite a lively act of faith 
in the Real Presence of Christ in this Sacrament. — With regard to hu- 
mility, you must consider, who you are, who receive God upon your 
tongue, and into your heart. Say to yourselves : How is this ? God 
comes to me ! — What would a poor man say, if a king should come to his 
humble hut to dwell there ? And what do we say, when we see the Lord 
of heaven and earth enter into our heart in Holy Communion ? Let us, at 
least, say with the Centurion : " Lord, I am not worthy, that thou shouldst 
enter under my roof !" — With humility, we must unite a great desire to 
receive Jesus in Holy Communion. This heavenly Bread requires great 
hunger ; and the greater the desire with which it is received, the greater 
are the graces imparted to us. St. Francis of Sales says, that we should 
receive him out of love, who gives himself to us out of love. God, one 
day, said to St. Mechtilde : " When you communicate, you must wish to 
be animated with the greatest love, which the Saints have ever borne 
for me ; for then, in consideration of this desire, I will accept your love 
as having the qualities which you wish it to possess." 

(c) Thanksgiving after receiving the Holy Eucharist. You must make 
good use of the time after Communion, for it is the most precious time 
for receiving the great treasures of grace. Mary Magdalen of Pazzi used 
to say : " The time after Communion is the most precious time that 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters, 



we have upon earth ; it is also the fittest time to speak to God, and to 
inflame our hearts with his divine love." And St. Teresa says, that after 
Communion, we must not neglect the opportunity of making a good 
bargain ; for God repays us richly for the abode we have prepared for 
him, if we receive and entertain him well. Again, she says, that Jesus 
Christ, after Communion, is in the soul as on a throne of grace, where 
he seems to speak to her the same words which he addressed to the blind 
man by the way-side : " What wilt thou, that I do to thee ?" {Luke 
18 : 41). 

Endeavor, then, after every Communion, to make a good thanksgiv- 
ing. Adore Jesus, really dwelling in your heart, with the most profound 
veneration ; and, like the three youths in the fiery furnace, call upon all 
creatures to praise with you, your Lord and God. Thank him from the 
bottom of your heart, for the inexpressible grace of having vouchsafed 
to come to you, and to nourish your soul with his flesh and blood unto 
eternal life. Offer him your whole love, and resolve for love of him, 
carefully to avoid some particular fault which you have hitherto fre- 
quently committed, or to practise a certain virtue. Finally, ask him for 
graces for yourself and others, — especially, for the grace to advance 
in the path of perfection, and to persevere in his love to the end. On 
the day of your Communion, keep yourselves recollected as much as 
possible, and frequently make pious aspirations, especially, acts of love. 

At the conclusion of this meditation, I again exhort you to return 
thanks to God for having called you to the Religious state, where 
you have the opportunity of often receiving the Sacraments of Penance 
and the Blessed Eucharist. Indeed, this grace alone should make you 
deem yourselves happy to be members of a Religious Order. But ex- 
amine now, whether, hitherto you have endeavored to receive the holy 
Sacraments with fruit. If you discover, that you have been guilty of 
faults, correct them. Consider, that of your many confessions and 
Communions, you will, one day, have to render an account. Endeavor, 
in this Retreat, to make a good confession ; and if anything in your 
former life disturbs your peace of mind, now is the time to apply the 
remedy. From henceforth, confess and communicate, each time, as ii 
that confession and Communion were your last, — then, you will always 
confess and communicate well, and may hope that these Sacraments'wili 
be to you indeed a pledge of eternal life. Amen. 



Second Series ; Third Day— Meditation II. 



i43 



MEDITATION II. ;: >f ' 

the sister in the life of prayer. 

Our Blessed Lord says, that " we ought always to pray, and not to 
faint." (Luke 18 : 1). These words will not surprise us, if we consider 
that, according to the teaching of spiritual writers, prayer is the 
very breath of the supernatural life. As the natural man must breathe, 
in order to live, so his soul must pray, if it would possess supernatural 
life, or sanctifying grace. The man who gives up prayer, is delivered up 
to spiritual death, namely, to mortal sin. This is the judgment of evil 
spirits and reprobate men, that they cannot and will not pray. If they 
could or would pray, they would not be rejected forever. How happy, 
then, are we, that are still able to pray ! Though hell should rise and 
rage against us with all its fury, it cannot injure us. We will easily 
overcome temptation, and be confirmed in virtue, if we only do not cease 
praying. Prayer renders us invincible. Therefore, let us now reflect 

I. On prayer in general, and 

II. On certain prayers in particular. 

I. Prayer in general. 

Let us consider the necessity of prayer. We must pray, 

1. In order to fulfil our duty towards God. It is our strict duty, 

(a) To worship and adore God. He is our Creator and Lord ; on 
him, we depend entirely ; to him, we owe all that we have and are. 
If we do not worship and adore him, we set him aside, and contemn 
him entirely. Can God allow this ? Can he permit men, his creatures, 
his subjects, his children, to ignore him entirely, and to deSDise him ? 
By no means, for he would then cease to be God. Therefore, the 
Sacred Scripture, in many passages, calls upon us to adore, and to Draise 
God. "Bring to the Lord glory and honor ; bring to the Lord glory to 
his name : adore ye the Lord in his holy court." (Ps. 28 : 2). i( Let 
all the earth adore God." (Ps. 65 : 4). " The Lord thy God, thou 
shalt adore." (Matt. 4 : 10). 

(b) We must give thanks to God. The countless benefits daily be- 



144 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



stowed upon us in body and soul, urge us to do so. God strictly re- 
quires the gratitude of his creatures. Hence, the Sacred Text frequently 
exhorts us to return thanks to God for his benefits ; and the Gospel 
records, that Christ was very much displeased, when of the ten lepers 
whom he had healed, only one returned to give him thanks. He, there- 
fore, who does not pray, sins against his bounden duty of gratitude, and 
is one of the most depraved of God's creatures. 

(c) We must petition God. What sort of a man is that, who never 
prays, never asks anything of God ? Evidently, he either believes that 
God can not or will not give him anything, or that he does not need his 
help. Are not such thoughts, such judgments, sins against faith, where- 
by one renders himself grievously guilty before God ? 

2. Prayer is necessary in order to be saved. In order to secure our 
salvation, we must, 

(a) Avoid sin, for nothing defiled can enter heaven. But with- 
out prayer, it is impossible to avoid sin. As long as we live, the 
world, the flesh, and the devil war against us, and prepare for us num- 
berless temptations. To overcome these, we need divine grace ; but 
God gives his grace only to those who ask it. Hence, Jesus Christ says : 
" Watch ye, and pray, that ye enter not into temptation." (Mart. 26 : 
41). By fervent, persevering prayer, we obtain God's grace, which en- 
lightens us to discover the assaults of our spiritual enemies, and strength- 
ens us to resist them. St. Augustine says : ■** As long as you pray, 
you may be sure that the divine mercy will not fail to come to your as- 
sistance." 

{b) To secure salvation, we must do good. He who desires to be saved, 
must not only desist from all evil, but also assiduously practise the Chris- 
tian virtues and good works. Heaven is not a free gift, but the reward 
promised to good works. Only the two faithful servants, who made 
good use of the talents committed to them, were admitted into heaven. 
The lazy servant who buried his talent, was cast out into "exterior dark- 
ness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth." {Matt. 25 : 14, 
et seq). We also read in the Gospel, that on the day of judgment, the 
sentence of reprobation shall be passed upon those who have not done 
works of mercy. {Matt. 25 : 41, et seq). Here, faith again teaches us, 
that without the grace of God, we can do nothing meritorious for heaven. 
The Apostle tells us this, in these words : " Not that we are sufficient 
to think anything of ourselves, as of ourselves : but our sufficiency is 
from God." (II. Cor. 3 : 5). Now, if, of ourselves, we are not capable 



Second Series ; Third Day. — Meditation II. 



i45 



of thinking anything good and salutary, it is evident that, of ourselves, 
without the grace of God, we are not able to do anything salutary. 
Christ emphatically declares this, when he says : " Without me (with- 
out my grace), you can do nothing." {John 15 : 5). We must ask of 
God the grace necessary for the practice of virtue and good works, 
according to the words of Christ : " Ask, and it shall be given you." 
{Matt. 7:7). 

(c) To be saved, we must persevere in good to the end. Thus, Christ 
says : " He that shall persevere unto the end, he shall be saved." 
(Matt. 10 : 22). And again : " Be thou faithful until death, and I will 
give thee the crown of life." {Apoc. 2 : 10). On the contrary, he de- 
clares, that "no man putting his hand to the plough, and looking back, 
is fit for the kingdom of God." (Luke 9 : 62). Final perseverance is 
a grace which we cannot merit. It can be obtained only by fervor and 
perseverance in prayer. Behold, then, how necessary is prayer, that 
you may fulfil your duties towards God, and obtain salvation. 

II. The excellence of prayer. Through prayer, 

1. We enter into co?nmunion with the Angels. Although it is certain, 
that the Angels are almost always invisibly close to the servants of God, 
in order to free them from the delusions and assaults of the Evil One, 
and increase their zeal in the service of God, — yet, these heavenly spirits 
are closest to us during the time of prayer. We need not wonder at 
this, since we know from Holy Writ, that the Angels offer up to God 
the prayers of the faithful. "When thou didst pray," the Archangel 
Raphael said to Tobias, "I offered thy prayer to the Lord." (Tob. 12 : 
12). As often as we pray, we are surrounded by Angels, we perform 
the function of the Angels, and rehearse here what we shall, one day, do 
forever in heaven. Can there be a greater honor for man than to be 
allowed, during life, to enjoy the society, and emulate the office; of the 
Angels ? 

2. By prayer, we are united to God. As often as we pray with devo- 
tion, we approach God, admire his power, his glory, and love ; pay him 
homage as our Lord and God ; thank him for his benefits, recommend 
ourselves to his paternal goodness, and ask him to give us what we 
need for time and eternity. And God looks down upon us with compas- 
sion and love, hears all we say, and speaks to us by his inspirations, 
— teaching us, consoling us, directing our attention to our faults, infusing 
courage into our hearts, and exhorting us to dedicate ourselves entirely 
to him, and to love him above all things. O, what an honor, what a 



146 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



grace, imparted to us through prayer ! This is our highest dignity, an 
honor surpassing even the glory of the Angels, that a creature can 
speak with his Creator, and confidentially lay before him all his wants ! 
What a happiness, to be perpetually empowered to speak to God when 
we please, and to offer to him our petitions, with the full assurance of 
obtaining whatsoever we may ask ! Should we not recognize prayer 
as the greatest of graces ? Where should a creature more love to be, 
than with his Creator ? Where should a man find more happiness than 
with God ? Where, the child greater pleasure, than with his heavenly 
Father ? 

3. Through prayer •, we obtain everythi?ig good for this life and the life 
to come. This consoling truth is expressed in the Sacred Scriptures 
numberless times. Thus, our Saviour (10 adduce only one passage,) 
says in plain words : i( All things whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, 
believing, you shall receive." (Matt* 21 : 22). Christ puts no limits 
to the effects of prayer ; he indicates it as an infallible means of remov- 
ing all evil and obtaining all good. The holy Fathers teach the same. 
St. Chrysostom says : " Prayer is a place of refuge and consolation for 
the afflicted and sorely-pressed, a protection for the poor, a bulwark for 
the rich, a medicine for the sick, and a preservative for those who are in 
health." And St. Bonaventure says : " The power of prayer is im- 
mense ; it can procure for us everything useful, and avert from us every- 
thing noxious." Numberless examples from Sacred Scripture corrob- 
orate these words, and teach us, that prayer often brings help, even 
when (humanly speaking,) assistance seems impossible. Man's necessity 
is God's opportunity. 

This much, I say of prayer in general, in order to encourage you to 
practise it fervently and perseveringly. 

II. Certain prayers in particular. 

Among the prayers to which you are obliged in particular, I men- 
tion, 

1. Either the divine Office^ or the little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 
u The principal duty of all men upon earth," says St. Alphonsus, "should 
consist in unceasingly returning thanks to God for his benefits, and ask- 
ing anew for his grace, in order to obtain eternal salvation." But, be- 
cause seculars are too much engaged in temporal affairs, the Church 
wills, that in their stead, and in the name of the whole Christian peo- 
ple, all the clergy and Religious should praise God by reciting the holy 
Office, This prayer of the canonical hours is nothing else than a petition 



Second Series ; Third Day.— Meditation II. 



i47 



composed by God himself, that he may hear our prayer more readily, and 
come to our help in our necessities. We may, therefore, believe that a 
hundred special prayers are not of as much value as the prayer of the 
Office. St. Mary Magdalen of Pazzi used to say, that every other prayer, 
compared to the Office, is of little merit. Hence it was, that she rejoic- 
ed to hear the bell calling the Sisters to the recitation of the Office, and, 
dropping everything, she hastened into the choir, to perform there the 
function of the Angels, to love God, and ask graces for poor sinners. St. 
Catharine of Bologna also experienced so great a joy in reciting the bre- 
viary, that she wished to end her life saying it. She said, that a Religious 
who diligently assisted at the Office until her death, would at once be 
numbered among the Saints. 

But the Office, like every other prayer, must be said with devotion ; for 
he who performs it with wilful distractions, may be convinced that he 
prepares for himself a severe purgatory in the next world. {St. Alphon- 
sus). It is related of two Religious, that, because they were inattentive 
during the recitation of the breviary, they were condemned to very great 
and long-continued pains in purgatory. In order to preserve yourselves 
as much as possible from distractions while reciting your breviary, (as 
well as in your other exercises of devotion,) you must, each time, properly 
prepare yourselves for it, according to the admonition : " Before prayer 
prepare thy soul : and be not as a man that tempteth God." {Ecclus. 
18 : 23). It would be tempting God, to go to prayer without any prep- 
aration, and yet expect to pray well. — But how are we to prepare our- 
selves for prayer ? We should banish, as much as possible, all earthly 
thoughts, and interiorly recollect ourselves. In order to pray with de- 
votion, we must imitate Abraham. When he was about to offer up his 
son to God on Mount Moriah, he left everything not necessary to the 
sacrifice, at the foot of the mountain, saying : " When we have adored, 
we shall return unto you." The distractions which so frequently occur 
in prayer, are generally caused by our own neglect. How can we expect 
to be free from earthly thoughts and cares during the time of prayer, if 
we do not banish them with determination from the very beginning? 
Recollect yourselves, then, for a few moments, before you begin to pray. 
Place yourselves in the presence of God, and ask him for the grace to 
pray with devotion. If you perceive your thoughts wandering during 
prayer, you should not be disturbed on that account, or lose confidence, 
for we can not be entirely free from distractions. We are constantly sur- 
rounded by so many corporal objects, that it is not easy for us during 
prayer, to fix our attention entirely upon spiritual things. But do not 
wilfully entertain these distractions. Involuntary distractions are not 
sinful ; neither do they lessen the merit of prayer. Recall your thoughts 
whenever you perceive them wandering ; renew your act of faith in the 



i 4 8 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



presence of God, and continue to pray with fervor. At the end of your 
prayer, make an act of contrition on account of your distractions, ask 
pardon of God, and offer to him the infinite merits of Christ, as a repa- 
ration. 

2. The visit to the Blessed Sacrament. To this, we should feel en- 
couraged by the consideration of 

(a) The real and true prese?ice of Christ in this Sacrament. Faith 
teaches, that Jesus Christ is truly present in the Blessed Eucharist as 
God and Man, the same Christ who once visibly walked the earth, and 
now sits at the right hand of God, the Father, in heaven. We read in 
the Gospel, that the people who believed in Jesus Christ, adored him, — 
as, for instance, the shepherds of Bethlehem, the Magi from the East, 
Jairus, the disciples of Christ, etc. The Angels and Saints in heaven, 
too, adore him with the most profound veneration. Now, what men 
have done on earth, and what the Angels do in heaven, we must also 
do, when we visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar. 

(o) The graces which we receive in those visits to Jesus in the Blessed 
Eucharist. What Christ was to men when he walked visibly upon earth, 
— their best Friend, their Benefactor, the Bestower of all blessings, — 
he is still, to-day, in the Most Holy Sacrament. The words of consola- 
tion which he once spoke to the afflicted : " Come to me, all you that 
labor, and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you," {Matt, n : 28) 
hold true to-day, — for he who comes to him with humility and confi- 
dence, shall find consolation and help. In the Blessed Eucharist, our 
Lord's hands are full of graces, and he is ever ready to impart them to 
all who desire them. Blessed Henry Suso says, that in the Blessed Eu- 
charist, Christ more readily hears the prayers of those who visit him ; and 
that he there communicates his graces in a more abundant measure than 
elsewhere. 

(c) The example of the Saints should animate us to visit the Blessed Sac- 
rament. They had no greater happiness and no sweeter consolation on 
earth, than to be able to visit Jesus in the Sacrament of his love. We 
read of St. Francis Xavier, that after having labored all day for the sal- 
vation of souls, he spent the night on his knees before the Blessed Sac- 
rament. Sometimes, overpowered by sleep, he lay down on the steps of 
the altar, and having enjoyed a short rest, entertained himself anew with 
his beloved Lord. St. Francis Regis did the same. Having spent the 
whole day in preaching and hearing confessions, he sought rest at night 
by entertaining himself with Jesus in the Holy Sacrament ; and when he 



Second Series ; Third Day. — Meditation II. 



149 



found the Church locked, he knelt down at the door, in order to show 
due honor to Christ. In a word, the Saints found in the Blessed Sac- 
rament, their heaven upon earth. Can a soul who truly loves Jesus, find 
a more delightful heaven upon earth, than at the feet of her divine Re- 
deemer, assuring him of her love, offering herself and all her actions to 
him, and revealing to him her desire to soon behold him face to face, in 
order to love him more fervently ? 

O Sisters ! how happy are you in the Religious state, living, as it were, 
under the same roof with Jesus Christ in the Blessed Eucharist, and al- 
lowed to visit him often in order to perform your devotions before him. 
Adore him on the altar with the most profound veneration ; thank him 
for all his graces, especially, for the grace of your Religious vocation ; 
promise to love him, and ask him with confidence, to give you whatso- 
ever may be good and expedient for you. 

3. Veneration for the Blessed Virgin. All good Catholics, especially, 
all good Religious, are fervent venerators of the Blessed Mother of God. 
If you peruse the Lives of the Saints^ you will hardly find one who has 
not been a particular client of the Blessed Virgin. St. Louis, king of 
France, not only erected many churches, and established many mon- 
asteries in her honor, but he always carried her picture about him, and 
frequently drew it forth, to kiss it with devotion. St. Stephen, king of 
Hungary, dedicated his kingdom to the Blessed Virgin, and solemnly 
delivered to her his crown and sceptre, humbly asking her to receive his 
people and himself among her servants. St. Philip Neri used to say to 
his penitents : " Dear children, if you desire to persevere in the grace 
of God to the end, have a great devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary." 

Nothing is more just than that we venerate Mary. Why should we 
not honor her, whom the Triune God himself has honored above all 
creatures, Angels and men. God the Father chose her to become the 
Mother of his Son ; God the Son assumed human nature in her chaste 
womb ; God the Holy Ghost operated in her in a most mysterious man- 
ner, the Incarnation of Christ. Is she not the Mother of God ? Does 
not Christ say : "If any man serve me, him will my Father honor" — ? 
Surely, then, since the Blessed Virgin Mary, his Mother, served him 
with such fidelity, she was honored by his Eternal Father, and evidently 
deserves to be honored by us ! Why should we not honor her when, 
through her intercession, we can obtain all that we need for time and 
eternity ? " Mary," says St. Bonaventure, " has so great a desire to do 
us good, and to see us participators in her glory in heaven, that she feels 
offended not only by him who openly insults her, but also by him who 
asks no graces of her." This Saint adds, that he was always filled with 
consolation when he thought of Mary, because she appeared to him. a& 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



mercy itself. Moreover, Mary is most powerful, and obtains from her 
Son, Jesus, whatsoever she asks of him. The Son loves to grant his 
Mother's petitions, in order to recompense her for the fidelity where- 
with she served him while on earth. Do not neglect, then, to honor 
Mary with fervent devotion, and to have recourse to her intercession 
with confidence. Often say the Memorare, and ask her to obtain for 
you a happy death. 

4. Finally, the so-called ejaculatory prayers, which, as you know, are 
othing else than short aspirations of the heart to God, are of great 
benefit, and cannot be too highly recommended, for, 

(a) They are the best means of interior recollection. In our inter- 
course with people, in our business transactions and employments, we 
are easily distracted with earthly things, and forget the salvation of our 
souls. We can prevent this evil by short, ejaculatory prayers. As often 
as we elicit such, we renew our interior recollection, and turn our hearts 
again to the one thing necessary — our eternal salvation. 

(b) Ejaculatory prayers preserve us from many faults and sins. A 
chief cause of our daily faults, is the want of interior recollection, the 
distractions in which we live. Paying no attention to what takes place 
within or without us, it happens that we take an occasional wrong step. 
The enemies of our salvation avail themselves of our inattention, in 
order to tempt us to many sins, and to cause our fall. But if we often 
raise our hearts to God, and send up fervent prayers to him, we col- 
lect our thoughts anew, and kindle afresh in our hearts the fire of divine 
love, thus preserving ourselves from numberless faults. 

(c) Ejaculatory prayers sanctify our works, and render them meri- 
torious before God. The more we sanctify our actions by a pious, re- 
ligious disposition of mind, and especially, by the love of God, the more 
acceptable they are to him, and the more meritorious to ourselves. 
Frequently sending up ejaculatory prayers to God, these pious effusions 
of our heart are so many aspirations, whereby we pay God the homage of 
our obedience, fidelity, and love. There is, indeed, nothing more useful 
for the animation and confirmation of Christian sentiment and conduct, 
than ejaculatory prayers. " In spiritual solitude and ejaculatory 
prayers," says St. Francis of Sales, "consists the great work of devotion ; 
nay, this exercise can supply the want of all other prayers, but its 
neglect can be supplied by no other means. Without this exercise, 
neither the active, nor the contemplative life can prosper, as without it, 
rest is only idleness, and work, only confusion. Tnerefore," this saint con- 



Second Series ; Third Day. — Meditation III 



eludes, " I pray you, devote yourself to this exercise with your whole 
heart, and never relinquish it." 

Weigh well these words of the great bishop and spiritual writer, and 
be very faithful in the practice of ejaculatory prayers. Frequently rec- 
ollect yourselves during the day, whether alone, or in company. At 
least every hour, raise your hearts to God, and excite some pious as- 
pirations, as for example : "O ray Jesus, mercy ! O my God, let me 
sin no more ! Lord, all for thy love ! Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, to 
you, I give my heart and soul !" Such aspirations and sighs are short, 
easy, and possible everywhere. They excite in the heart pious, holy 
dispositions, obtain many graces of God, and promote Christian per- 
fection. 

These are the prayers which I recommend to you in particular. Re- 
solve to say your Office as your rule prescribes, daily, and very devout- 
ly. As often as you recite it, you practise Obedience,— a virtue most 
acceptable to God. — Adore Jesus in the Blessed Eucharist as often as 
possible. The time which you spend before the tabernacle, is the hap- 
piest of your life, and will afford you the greatest consolation at the hour 
of death. Honor the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God ; recommend 
yourselves to her maternal protection, and endeavor to imitate her in 
all her virtues, especially, in humility, purity, and obedience. — Finally, 
often during the day, recollect yourselves, and raise your hearts to God 
in pious aspirations, that you may never lose sight of your sublime des- 
tiny, and more and more foster and keep alive filial fear of God and 
fervor in good. Yes, love and practise prayer, for prayer is the nour- 
ishment of the soul, the light of the understanding, the remedy against 
all persecutions, a sure bond of the love of God, and a mark of the 
elect. Amen. 



MEDITATION III. 

THE SISTER IN THE EVENING. 

With this meditation, closes our present Retreat, during the course 
of which, we have meditated upon the sanctified day of a pious Sister 
aspiring to perfection. You should dedicate every day of your life to 
God, and therein, endeavor more and more to perfect and sanctify your- 
selves. This important aim and object should be your first thought at 
awaking in the morning, when, entering into yourselves, you make the 
good intention to do all the actions of the day for the honor and glory 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters, 



of God, and recommend yourselves fervently to him. — This end should 
be before your eyes during the day, in the fulfilment of the duties of 
your state, and in your community-life. To attain this end, you should 
assiduously employ the means which the Religious state affords you, — 
interior and exterior mortifications, the exact observance of your vows, 
rules, and regulations, the worthy reception of the holy Sacraments, and 
devout prayer. If you diligently perform what you have been told 
on these points during this Retreat, I assure you, that your days will be 
sanctified, and that they will be succeeded by a quiet, peaceful evening. 
Of the latter, I shall now speak ; the subject of our last meditation 
being, the Sister 

I. In tne evening of the day, and 

II. I?i the eve?iing of life. 

I. The Sister in the evening of the day. 

One day, yes, a single day, is an important part of our life ; for one day 
may decide our fate for all eternity, bring us either eternal weal or eter- 
nal woe. How many are there in heaven, who won Paradise by spending 
well one, single day ! How many, perhaps, in hell, who spent but one 
day in doing evil ! If one, single day for doing penance were given to 
the damned, their rescue from hell would be possible, they could ex- 
change hell for heaven. Serious, holy thoughts should, therefore, oc- 
cupy your hearts, as often as the day draws to its close, and evening sets 
in. You should never retire to rest at night without those pious exer- 
cises which your rule prescribes. What are those exercises ? — They are 

1. Interior recollectio?i, holy quietude, prof ound silence. When the sun 
has set, and twilight begins to cast its shadows over valleys, hills, 
and mountains, everything in nature becomes quiet. The birds of the 
air and the beasts of the field retire to their wonted haunts to seek and 
enjoy rest. Man, too, stops work, and retraces his steps homeward, to 
rest from his day's labor. This universal repose in nature should be to 
you a picture of the spiritual repose which you should enjoy at the end 
of each day. Having finished your work for the day, collect your 
thoughts, and employ the short time of your wakefulness for the salva- 
tion of your soul. Particularly observe, as your rule prescribes, strict 
silence, in order not to be again distracted, and to be properly disposed 
for a good night prayer. 

2. That your night prayer may be good, 



{a) You must give thanks to God for the graces and benefits he has be 



Second Series ; Third Day. — Meditation III. 153 



stowed upon you during the day, both in body and soul. He has pre- 
served your life and health, guarded you from all evil, and enabled you 
to perform your daily duties. How much better has this day been for 
you than for thousands of your fellow-creatures ! How many who were 
in good health in the morning, were overtaken by death during the day, 
and before night set in, were dead ! How many spent the day in misery 
and afflictions, and lamented and wept over some great calamity that had 
befallen them ! How many suffered hunger, thirst, and other hardships, 
and were compelled to spend the night most miserably, because they 
could not find a shelter ! If, in the evening, you compare your 
situation with that of thousands, nay, millions of your fellow-men, have 
you not reason to return thanks to God from the bottom of your hearts ? 
Would it not be black ingratitude to him who has so blessed you, if 
Yon should retire to rest at night without one grateful prayer to him ? 
What shall I say of the graces and benefits you daily receive from God 
xov the salvation of your soul ? How many privileges have you not 
above others ? Whilst some are in many ways prevented from do- 
ing good, and endure temptations of all kinds, you, in the convent, 
can serve God every day, without grievous obstacles, and possess, at the 
-same time, the best guidance, and the most efficacious means for the 
*anctification of your life. Should you not return thanks to God every 
evening for the grace of a Religious vocation, and for his having made it 
so easy for you to work out your salvation, by the graces which he be- 
stows upon you so abundantly every day ? — Next follows 

[d) The examination of conscience. St. John Climacus says : "A3 
Drudent merchants, every evening, compute their loss, as well as their 
sain, and, finding that they have lost, endeavor the next day to make up 
for it, — so we must daily examine ourselves minutely as to our spiritual 
ioss or gain, lest the loss be increased from day to day, until finally, the 
capital with which we started, be entirely lost." — The examination of 
conscience in the evening is, therefore, necessary, in order to find out 
how we have spent the day ; whether we have made any progress in vir- 
tue, or whether we have retrograded ; whether we have kept our resolu- 
tions made in the morning, etc.; in a word, to know the state of our soul, 
and to do what is required for our amendment and perfection. He who 
diligently examines his conscience every evening, greatly facilitates his 
weekly examination for confession, especially, if he briefly commit to 
paper the faults of the day. Daily examination of conscience is a nec- 
essary means of Christian perfection, and for this reason, it is urgently 
recommended to all Christians by spiritual writers. Religious are 
the more obliged to it, because it is prescribed by their rule. — 
Even the heathens recognized the importance of self-examination as 



154 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



an efficacious means to a weii-reguiated lire. According to the testimony 
of St. Jerome, the ancient philosopher, Pythagoras, gave to his pupils the 
rule, that they should examine themselves daily, once in the morning, 
and once in the evening, each demanding an account of himself on these 
three points : What have I done ? How Have I done it ? What have 
I o??iiited ? Then they should rejoice at the good performed, and grieve 
for the evil committed. 

i. The examination must extend. 

1. To all faults committed during the day in thought, word, and deed. 
Make an exact examination, especiallv. 01 vour thoughts, desires, and 
sentiments, that you may arrive at a true knowledge of yourselves. 

2. To your favorite faults. Favorite faults are those to which one is 
particularly inclined, often tempted to commit., and of which one is fre- 
quently guilty. Almost all men have such besetting sins ; or faults. Some 
are passionate, others, vain and ambitious ; some commit many sins of 
the tongue against truth, justice, or fraternal charity ; others are envious, 
self-willed, discontented, or morose. With regard to these favorite 
passions, you must examine vourselves not only at your particular ex- 
amination, but also at vour general examination in the evening, that 
you may know, whether you have improved in good works, or gone back- 
wards. 

3. To the omission of the good which vou should have done. You know 
that he commits a sin. who omits what he is obliged to do ; and that he 
commits even a mortal sin, if the omission be of a grave nature. Exam- 
ine yourselves dilieentiv every evening, to see whether you have fulfilled 
your general Christian, and your particular Religious duties ; and espec- 
ially, whether you have ooservea vour rule in all things. 

4. To the manner in which you have fulfilled your duty, and done good. 
A great deal depends upon the manner in which we fulfil our duties, or 
do good. For example, if we labor with impatience, perform our work 
negligently and superficially, it we obey reluctantly and with ill humor, 
if we pray without devotion, and distractedly, — we sin, and deserve pun- 
ishment rather than a recompense from God. This is an important 
point, to which you must especially direct your attention in your exam- 
ination of conscience. Examine also, whether you have done your daily 
actions with the right intention, that is, for the glory and love of God ; 
for, if you perform your works and pious exercises without a good inten- 
tion, you can expect, no reward from God hereafter. In this, consists 



Second Series ; Third Day. — Meditation III. 



155 



the examination of conscience which you must make every evening, that 
you may know how you have spent the day. — After the examination of 
conscience, it is necessary, 

(e) That we repent of the faults co7timitted, and make good resolutions of 
amendment. It is evident, that you must be heartily sorry for all the 
faults you have discovered in your examination of conscience, as also 
for the sins previously committed, that you must humbly ask pardon of 
God, and promise him earnestly to amend your life. If, in the examina- 
tion of your conscience, you find that you have relapsed into your be- 
setting sin, make a sincere act of contrition for it, impose a small penance 
upon yourselves, such as to kiss the floor, to say an Our Father and 
Hail Mary in a kneeling posture, etc. — Contrition, with a purpose of 
amendment, constitutes the most important part of a good night prayer, 
wherefore, you must devote the greater care to it. — Furthermore, 

(d) You must offer up to God all the thoughts, words, and deeds 
of the night. As, in the morning, before going to your daily 
work, you make a good intention to do all for the greater honor and 
glory of God, (in order to render your labors pleasing and mer- 
itorious in his sight), so, in the evening, when you rest from your labor, 
you should renew your good intention, by offering to God all that you 
have done, asking him to be pleased to accept it through the merits of 
Christ, and in union therewith, and to recompense you eternally for it, 
according to his goodness and mercy. This offering may be made in 
the well-known words of the Church : " O my God, I offer to thee all 
my thoughts, words, and deeds, for thy greater honor and glory, and 
unite them with the bitter Passion and death of Jesus Christ, my Lord 
and Redeemer. Amen." — Finally, 

(e) You should recite a few prayers in honor of the Blessed Virgin 
Mary, St. Joseph, your holy Angel guardian^ and your patron Saint, for 
the living and the dead, and for a happy death.- Particularly, recite the 
prayers prescribed by your rule. Then, retire to rest with serious, holy 
thoughts, and continue your pious aspirations and prayers until you 
fall asleep. If you awake during the night, employ your waking mo- 
ments in making aspirations and prayers. Sign yourselves frequently 
with the sign of the cross, kiss the medal you wear, and frequently 
pronounce the holy names of Jesus and Mary. 

II. The Religious in the evening of her life. 

The evening of our life is of the utmost importance for us ; let us, 
therefore, make a short meditation on it. 



156 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



1. The evening of life is certain, and may come at any moment. " It is 
appointed for all men once to die." (Heb. 9 : 27). St. Alphonsus Li- 
guori says in one of his spiritual treatises : " For him who wrote this lit- 
tle book on Preparation for Death, for me who now write, and for you who 
shall read this little book, the day, the moment, is already appointed when 
I shall write no more, and you shall read no more." " Who is the man," 
says David, " that shall live, and not see death ?" (Ps. 89 : 49). Yes, the 
day will certainly come when you must die, and when you will be told : 
" Give charge concerning thy house ; for thou shalt die, and shalt not 
live." {IV. Kings 20 : 1). You will lie upon your bed in the greatest 
exhaustion ; your hands and feet will grow cold ; the chill sweat of 
death will break out on your forehead ; your pulse will cease to beat, 
your breathing will grow heavy, and finally, cease altogether ; and your 
eye-strings will break. — Whilst you lie dying, your companions in Relig- 
ion will stand around your couch, and pray to God that you may de- 
part this world in peace. Perhaps, the priest of God will be present 
praying : " Depart, O Christian soul, out of this miserable world, in the 
name of God, the Father Almighty, who created thee ; in the name of 
Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, who suffered for thee ; in the 
name of the Holy Ghost, who sanctified thee ; in the name of the Angels 
and Saints ! Let thy place be this day in peace, and thy abode in holy 
Sion !" This closing evening of your life may come at any time ; for " the 
day of the Lord shall come like a thief in the night," (//. Pet. 3 : 10); 
and we must all say with David : " There is but one step between me and 
death." (/. Kings 20 : 3). Who knows whether some of you now mak- 
ing this Retreat, may not have fought the last fight, and entered into eter- 
nity, before the next annual Retreat ! 

Knowing, then, as we do, that the evening of our life shall certainly 
come, and that it may come at any moment, what should we consider 
more than the words of our Lord : "Be you ready" — ? {Luke 12 : 40). 
Let us so live, that this evening may not find us unprepared ; and that we 
may quietly expect it, even as we tranquilly look forward to the evening 
of every day. 

2. On the evening of life, depends our eternity. We can die but once. 
If we die a good death, heaven, with its everlasting joys, will be our por- 
tion ; but if we die a miserable death, hell, with all its torments, will await 
us. There are many things in the world, which, if you do not succeed 
once or twice in doing well, can be repeated and repaired. But an error 
in this important affair can never be repaired, — a mistake, once made, 
remains such forever. When we have once died miserably, there is no pos- 
sibility of a change. We can -not then say : " My Lord, and my God, do 
not remember my first death ! I will return to the world, and prepare my- 



Second Series ; Third Day.— Meditation III. 



157 



self more carefully for my second death ; I will do better the next time !" 
No, we can not speak thus ; we die but once, and according to the way 
in which we die, our fate will be decided for an endless eternity. — O, 
what an important thing is death ! Who would not keep always before 
his eyes that important evening of his life, (which will decide his fate 
for all eternity), and so live, that he need not fear death ? 

3. This evening closes miserably for the generality of mankind. We 
can not doubt this, because Christ repeatedly asserts : " Many are called, 
but few are chosen." {Matt. 20 : 16). In the whole world, more than 
sixty people die every minute. How many of them are saved ? Per- 
haps all? But that cannot be, for Christ says: "Few," Perhaps 
forty ? No, for that would be the greater part, and Christ says : 
"Few." Thirty ? No, for that would be the half, and Christ says : 
" Few." Twenty ? No, that would be too many, whereas Christ says : 
" Few. When we say "a few of the sixty," we understand thereby 
that hardly ten of them shall be saved. Now, if sixty people die every 
minute, at least fifty of them are damned, and only ten, (and perhaps 
not that many), are saved : " Many are called, but few are chosen." — 
What will be your fate ? Will you be among the reprobate, or among 
the few chosen ones ? It is not difficult to answer this question. If 
you live as the majority of people live, in utter disregard of the salva- 
tion of your soul, in forgetfulness of God, in sins and vices — without 
doubt, you will be damned with the majority. But if you are of the num- 
ber of the few who fervently serve God, and fear nothing more than to 
offend him, — with them, you will surely be saved. In the Religious 
state, however, you can more easily work out your salvation than can 
Christians in the world, because you have fewer obstacles in your way, 
and more means of salvation, than the latter. Hence, it is a sign of. elec- 
tion to be called to the Religious life ; and St. Bernard says, that the 
way from the covent-cell to heaven is an easy one. Hence also, we read 
of good Religious, that they looked forward to the evening of their life 
with the greatest confidence, and died with holy joy. St. Hilarion, in 
his dying hour, said : "Go forth, my soul, what dost thou fear ? Thou 
hast served God seventy years ; dost thou then fear death ?" St. Jer- 
ome called death, his dearest brother and his sweetest consolation. 
When his friends and disciples assembled around him to do him the last 
acts of kindness, he received them with a joyful countenance, and said 
to them : "My friends, you bring me the news of my departure. May 
God reward you for such good tidings ! Share my joy, — be witness of 
my happiness ! Behold the precious moment, which will liberate me 
forever ! O happy hour of death ! Sweet, peaceful sleep of the just, 
come and close my eyes ! Death, how beautiful, how pleasant, thou 



'58 



A Spiritual Retreat for Sisters. 



art to me ! Why dost thou delay ? What injustice to thee, that men 
represent thee in such ghastly forms ! For the wicked only, thou art 
terrible. Since Jesus, my Redeemer, loved thee, I rejoice in thee, 
(though suffering the most terrible pains and tortures), because thou 
bringest with thee the hope of an everlasting happiness ! My friends, 
love Jesus Christ ! Watch and pray, that you may experience how 
sweet it is to die, if one has lived a holy life !" Saying these words, 
the holy Doctor of the Church expired. 

With such a disposition of mind, you, too, can look forward to the 
evening of your life ; with such joy and hope, you, too, can die, if you 
always do what your Religious state imposes upon you as a duty. — At 
the conclusion of this Retreat, renew your resolution, as good Religious, 
to serve God with fervor and perseverance. Observe your vows and 
rules conscientiously. Avail yourselves of the means which your Order 
offers for your perfection and sanctification. Practise daily the pre- 
scribed devotions, and devote much care to meditation and spiritual 
reading. Frequently raise your hearts to God, and recommend 
yourselves to his mercy and goodness by short, ejaculatory prayers. 
Always approach well-prepared to the holy Sacraments of Penance 
and the Blessed Eucharist ; and esteem yourselves happy in being able 
to often visit and adore the most holy Sacrament of the Altar. Take 
upon yourselves daily, the necessary mortifications, that you may die to 
the world and to yourselves, and make progress in the spiritual life. 
Do not fear the obstacles and difficulties which you have to overcome 
in the path of virtue. Be of good will, and have great confidence. 
" God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which 
you are able ; but will make also with temptation issue, that you may 
be able to bear it." — (/. Cor. 10 : 3). Blessed, thrice blessed, are you, 
if you serve God with fidelity until the evening of your life ! You will 
then be like the prudent virgins of the Gospel, who, with their lamps 
filled with oil, awaited the coming of the Bridegroom. You will be 
worthy brides of Jesus Christ, and your heavenly Spouse will conduct 
you into the nuptial hall, where, with him, you shall taste unspeakable 
joy at the everlasting Marriage-feast, — following the Lamb whitherso- 
ever he goeth. Amen. 



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